Dead End
by mopsy88
Summary: When the BAU works on a new case, Reid is confronted with his past, when a former fellow student of him turns out to be the only survivor of a gruesome killing spree. Making her the only victim who has seen the UNSUB face to face, putting her in Need for constant supervision. She claims to be psychic and offers to lead the team to evidences. S.Reid/OC pairing maybe pre-slash
1. I couldn't care less !

**Chapter 1 : I couldn't care less**

I tried to ignore the police siren's they were piercing my ears for several uncomfortable minutes. My Vision was blurry from the tears that kept dripping from my burning eye's. You could think that i was crying because i haded to watch something "SO" awful. But i wasn't crying 'cuz of that.

Somebody was killed tonight, and i watched it,... although i knew i shouldn't have. I should have helped him, but i couldn't. I was stuck in a daze (not knowing if the things I saw were real).

The tings i saw played in slow motion and then..., i woke up, soaked in sweat.

My rapid breathing was aching my lungs who were still recovering from pneumonia. i placed a hand on my chest to calm me down.

_Breaking glass ?_

Where was that noise coming from?

Was there somebody in the house?

And then again..., _breaking glass?_

_Maybe a burglar_, (i thought to myself)? Well, no need to wait until he sneaks into my bedroom to do things to me not even god will hear about. I slipped out of my bed and quickly crossed the room, i opened the top drawer from my dresser and searched for the (damed) one thing i never wanted to use. Ironically i always wanted to get rid of it, but now it'll probably gonna save my life, but..., "it's gone", i gasped!

"No no no, it has to be there", i whistled. But it wasn't. I couldn't find it. It was gone. I was sure that i hid it in this certain drawer. I always had been sloppy, and forgetful. That's why i teached myself to put everything back in a specific place after using it, so i wouldn't lose it anymore. I pulled out all the other drawer's and threw the content's on the floor. Where was it, and why couldn't I find it?

There was only one logical conclusion to this, "Somebody took it," I snarled. I ran my fingers trough my hair and sank on my knee's. "Don't panic, you could just had put it somewhere else. Just think", I tried calming myself down.

"Searching for this babe"?

A sharp high pitched shriek escaped my throat. I tried to suppress any further actions of showing fear.

Unsure what to do I slowly turned around.

And saw a horribly scarred face, belonging to a man that was swinging my firearm. While giving me an evil grin and moving closer he dropped the gun on my scattered undies and wrapped his fingers around my neck and forced me to move to the bed. I tried to scream but the fingers around my neck were so tight that I barley could breathe.

He must have had sneaked in my bedroom while I was sleeping, searching for valuable things and weapons.

_And now... ?_

_Is he gonna force me to tell him where the "good stuff" is hidden? Or even worse..., is he gonna violate me?_

"What do you want", i croaked? His Fingers loosened their grip and i felt a slight relief.

And all of a sudden his face, or what was left of it came closer. So close that I could smell him. I expected a scent of garlic, or dried sweat, or anything else smelly, but he didn't smell bad at all. Actually..., I liked the smell.

He leaned down, probably to kiss me. He was so close now that I could feel his breath tickling my nose. His lips were covered with scar tissue.

"W-w-... ,who did that to you", I asked him with a trembling voice. For a moment he just sat on top, and stared at me, likely because he was surprised that I had the guts to speak up to him. Then he bended down and whispered "Nobody else than me. I'm responsible for it. It was my own fault", in my ear. He leaned back again to look straight into my eyes.

_Responsible for it? My own fault?_

It echoed in my head. Doesn't sound to me like he really did that to himself. More like somebody else, who thought it's necessary to teach him a lesson trough physical violence.

He started to choke me with one hand, the other hand slipped under my shirt and caressed my belly.

"Please don't", i pleaded while i already felt my mind fading. I started to blink rapidly. I tried to stay awake but my head felt all fuzzy and i saw white dots dancing before my eyes. Before my mind went blank, i could hear heavy footsteps on broken glass. _"What? A second one? Since when sexual Sadists work in teams?_", were my last thought's before the darkness hugged me tightly.

When i finally awakened again, i did so with a burning ache in my forehead. I groaned in pain, and rubbed my eyes carefully. I still felt very sleepy. Almost like I didn't sleep at all. I glanced out of my bedroom window and recognized that the sun was about to rise.

_Almost Dawn?_

I couldn't remember the last time I woke up that early. I shrugged my shoulders. "_Maybe i had a nightmare and forgot about it the second i woke up_ ", i thought. I gently stroked my forehead to ease the pain. And then the scales fell from my eyes. It was all coming back.

I jumped on my feet, and rushed to the light switch, but I hesitated to flip it.

"_Are you crazy? You don't know if those guys are still in your house, and you just wanted to make it easier for them to find you and finish what they started _", i criticized myself. I cursed some ugly words at myself and teared my hair out. All of sudden i noticed that the mess was gone. Each of the drawers was still in it's usual place. Nothing, not even a single sock lay on the floor. I furrowed my eyebrows. Who ever these guy's were, they didn't seemed that organized to clean up before leaving the crime scene. At least not the one I had the pleasure to meet. And why did they leave without killing me? Sure i probably was no big threat to them while being passed out or assumed dead, but i just couldn't believe that neither of them would come to check on that.

I heard muffled voices from downstairs. "_It´s too late to search for the gun_", i thought. I held my breath while I sneaked to my walk-in closet where I kept my sports equipment, and choose a solid wooden baseball bat. "I´m gonna crush you", i growled. I silently opened the door, and wondered how easily fear could turn into wrath. Soft-footed I made my way downstairs. My first impulse led me to check out my computer room. No need to go inside, "_stupid me. I left the door unlocked. Darn it _"!

I fastened the grip around the bat and looked fly, all around the hallway. "_Maybe in the living room? _", I guessed. I slowly walked sidewards.

I withheld a gasp when I saw two dimly figures moving on the floor. One of the entity suddenly moved faster than the other one, and stood up. He looked in my direction,_(right in my face it seemed)._

My courage reduced to zero again. He took a few big steps towards me. I quickly moved backwards myself, without turning my back to him. A sun ray enlightened his face for a short moment.

Not a single scar was adorning his face. He was broad-shouldered and his eyes were dark gray, his face was a perfect symmetry. Most people would call his appearance very appealing and masculine. I pursed my lips. Definitely not my type.

His eyes were tacked on the stairs who were leading to my bedroom, even tough he was standing right in front of me.

"_Does he even notice that I'm here? Or does he just simply ignore me _", i asked myself ?

The curved shape on the floor groaned in pain, and attracted the other man's attention again.

Then i heard a muffled voice, nothing more than a whisper," please don't. I do anything you want me to", he begged. "Stop talking you pathetic, miserable piece of trash," the other man breathed out. "First I'm gonna take you down, and then I'll have some fun with the girl upstairs." It seemed to me like he was more talking to himself than to the man underneath him. "What did you wanted to do to her anyway?. Come on give me a hint, i could use some fresh ideas." He asked giggling.

_I'm no shrink but,... that guy obviously had lost his common sense._

And the way he treated the other man, was telling me that they were no partners.

_He's a victim. Just like me._

"Ha-ha", at this thought i had to laugh.

In fear, i quickly covered my mouth with both hands and dropped the bat, expecting, either my laughter or the sound of the baseball bat hitting the floor would alarm him. My heart was racing like crazy while i was waiting for the criminal to do something. But he didn't do anything. The noise didn't even distract him.

"I'm gonna slice you up till your guts spill out," he chuckled.

_He's clearly insane. Quick, get in the kitchen, and grab something to defend yourself, i thought._

But something was telling me that, that would be a waste of time. I risked a glance at the floor, where various silvery shiny items lay in a puddle of blood.

He must have tried each knife to find out which one was the best for torturing and inflicting the most pain.

Then i heard a gross sound.

_Was he..., really..., doing that?_

Yes, now that I heard it a second time, it was undeniable, he chocked on his own blood.

The killer moved closer to his suffering victim, watching him dieing with amusement.

_OMG. What i am suppose to do?_

All of sudden the Killer got on his feet "I need to wash...,"he mumbled. He randomly opened doors and peeked inside, probably searching for a bathroom to wash the blood off of him. As he finally found what he was searching for he got inside and locked the door.

_Is this really happening? Does he really make himself comfortable here? In my house? In my bathroom?_

I tried to stay in the Shadows when i pressed my shivering body against the wall (which was very difficult because the sunrise had already started), and carefully moving closer to the assumed dead burglar. The strong scent of pennies rosed to my nose. It almost made me barf. I pressed two fingers at the burglar's neck in aim to find a pulse, and..., i found one. It was weak but existent.

"Help me, please...", he groaned. I gasped at the discovery that the burglar was conscious again and alive. But judging by the several stab wounds and multiple cuts he had, i wouldn't put a bet on him surviving this. "Try to stay awake okay? I'll get help," i tried to soothe him. On shaky knee's i sneaked into the hallway and grabbed my phone from the loading station, and rushed back to the now raspy breathing burglar. I shook him to keep him awake, but it was all in vain. I saw his eyes rolling inside. "No no, no. Stay awake", i muttered. I threw myself on his unconscious body and gently stroked his cheeks with my thumb's. But he stayed in his unconscious state. I started to cry uncontrollability, hammering my fist against his chest, resulting in blood splattering on my face.

Resolutely i held my head up "No i'm not dying. Not today. Not like this," i decided. I wiped away the tears, took the phone and placed my thumb on speed dial "1". When i was just about to press the button i felt a certain discomfort, like somebody was staring at me. And then it literally hit me. I screamed out in pain. I wish i had fainted straight away, but i just felt an overwhelming dizziness. With all my left strength i managed to crawl to the wall and reclined my back on it. My breathing got slower, as i felt the darkness trying to drag me under. My Head fell to me knees, the phone slipped out of my hand.

"_You need to stay awake"_, i told myself.

"911 What's your emergency ?

Hello?",the female operator asked with a cool business tone

"911. What's your emergency?", she repeated.

"I..., we..., we need...", i babbled, to weak to form a whole sentence.

_Help! Help, is what WE NEED!_ The voice in my head screamed. But with every second i listened to that yelling voice, it got more and more quieter. And then it was gone.

Silence.

_Is this what dying feels like? _

_I always thought it would be painful. And cold._

_But this actually felt very nice. Like a warm summer breeze._

"_**Sweet Pea?"**_

"_Maw maw? Is that you?"_

"_**Who else calls you 'Sweet Pea' my dear?"**_

"_Where am i?"_

"_**Well, make an educated guess?"**_

"_Am i..., am i dead... Maw maw?"_

"_**No ,not quite yet. But you are close. That's why i'm here 'my love'. It's not your time yet.**_

_**You don't belong here. Go back."**_

A cold shiver ran trough me.

"_But Maw maw. I want to stay with you. I missed you so much. And I missed talking to you. You are the only one that understands me. Can i? Can i stay with you?"_

"We're loosing her...!"

" _**Yes. Someday, we'll be united again. But till then, you need to stay with your kind."**_

"_Can i at least stay a little longer? Just to talk to you. Please?"_

"Once more! Come on girl, don't give up...!"

"_**You can talk to me whenever you want to. I'm right here, whenever you need me 'Sweet Pea'. Now go. I love you."**_

"_I love you too Maw maw."_

"We got a pulse, she's back!", somebody shouted out.

My heart felt heavy. I didn't care about the noise (frankly i couldn't care less), all i wanted was... SLEEP!

**CMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCC MCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCCMCMCMCM CMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCCMC MCMCMCMCMCMCM**

**Sorry for the Cliffhanger**

**also had some issues with my new document editing software.**

**Anyway chap. one is finally out, Yay!**

**Read&Review please :D**


	2. A Stitch in Time

**Hi everybody :-)**

**short announcement: I recommend you to always check the last few passage's from the previous Chapter for recent updates. Sorry for the delay folks. Read, enjoy, and review please.**

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Dead End

Chapter 2: A stitch in time

"Reid?

Reid?"

The young genius slightly lifted his head. "What is it Morgan?", he asked with a lightly detuned undertone. "Uuuuhh, do I detect a little hostility here?", he questioned instead. "No, you detect a lot of hostility. I'm occupied with paperwork. What do you want?", he asked giving Morgan a wicked glare. "Say Reid, what's bothering you so much?", he asked, while refusing to go with Reid's leave-me-alone-glance. "I'm just not in the mood for chatting, that's all.", Reid shrugged his shoulder's."Spill it kid!", Morgan ordered. After a few moments had passed, Reid made his I'm-giving-in sigh and flat out admitted "I'm having headaches again".

"I'm sorry to hear that kid.", Morgan said, sincerely feeling sorry for his friend. "Actually I wanted to ask you, if you want to join the girls and me for a drink. But..., I think I can scratch that off my list, tonight," he said, adding a fake disappointed sigh. "Really? Why is that?", Reid asked smilingly. "Because", he pointed to the upper bullpen, "There comes Hotch. And he doesn't look like it's time to 'call it day'!", Morgan sighed. "Nah! I'm pretty sure, he just came to tell me, to go home already", (_again_) he added in his thought's, wishing it to be true. 'Cuz he really could use a hot shower and a very long nap.

"We got a case!", Hotch announced, while he rushed downstairs.

Morgan lifted his eyebrow's and gestured a 'told ya' to Reid. "I'll go get JJ.",Reid said closing the Case-File he had been working on. "Don't bother. She hasn't even left yet.", Morgan pointed out. When the team gathered in the briefing-room they all looked tired and groggy. "I'm sorry guy's. I know we are all exhausted, but it's urgent.", Hotch apologized with a guilty expression on his face. "Isn't it always urgent?", Garcia asked flatly.

She flipped the remote, and pressed the start button. "On tonight's menu we have...", she began,"A Spree Killer.11 Victim's were found so far. They are all unrelated, except all being gutted.",Garcia showed strong reaction's of disgust when she mentioned the gutting,"They all had different ethnicities, social background's...","Wait, they were eviscerated?", Reid interrupted. Garcia frowned at Reid "Yes sweetie, 'eviscerated'. Don't make me describe the gory details. It just makes me wanna barf... ", "Garcia!?", Hotch declared in a bossy tone.

"Sorry. Back to the case. The oldest Victim was a about 56' to 60 year old male. The youngest 13' year old Susan Bonnet..."

**Reid's PoV**

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_The thing with the gutting still bothered me. But I didn't had any idea why. An unsub who guts his victim's isn't THAT rare, I _thought._ Why does it ring a bell to me then? I _scrolled through my eidetic memory.

_If it would have reminded me of a case we once worked on, I would have remembered it straight away. So it must have something to do with my time before I started to work for the FBI._

"_High-school maybe." No, to early. "_

_College ? Yeah, that's it when I went to College. I talked to..., somebody. But who?"_

I tried to dig deeper into my memories. And then...

**Flashback:**

**[10 years earlier... ]**

I stood in front the Deacon's office and glanced at the door who seemed to be left ajar. I pricked up my ears when I heard somebody arguing pretty bad. I knew it was not a really good behaviour but I couldn't help it, my curiousity piqued me to eavesdrop.

"I said no! And no means NO!", a female upraised voice exclaimed, while angrily stomping a foot.

"And I already told you that 'no', is not an option here!", a other (much deeper) female voice answered in the same blunt manner."You can chase your silly childish dreams, **after** you earned your College Degree!", she went on. I heard the younger sounding voice bristling with anger.

A moment of awkward silence. Then...

"But Mom, I don't wanna enroll in 'medical engineering'", the girl whimpered. "Then select something else. But focus on engineering. There are enough other department's for engineering on campus.", she insisted.

"Why won't you understand Mother? I'm not interested in aspiring a career like that.",she called out.

"Sweetie, you're such a smart, intelligent girl. You have a affinity for technology and engineering. That's an ability you should care for, otherwise it'll go to waste. And you will end up empty handed. Is that what you want?". I could hear the girl grinding her teeth. "It's my life! So it's none of your business if I mess it up!", she yelled.

"And that's were you are wrong sugar. Till you're 18, it's my life, and thus my responsibility to make the right decisions for you.", she pointed out dangerously calm.

"Could you please stop treating me like a baby mom? Gosh, I'm 12, not 2!"

"Stop acting like one so I don't have to!", she countered.

"I won't let you ruin your future by engaging in non profitable jobs like playing a guitar in parks and alley's for a few pennies. You're going to enroll in something technical related next semester young lady. And that's final."

"I..., but i..., you can't just...," she stuttered. I heard the mother standing up. "Don't pout sweetie pie. I only want what's best for you.", she tried to soothe her daughter. "No, you don't. You just want what you 'think' is best for YOU!", she cried out. "I HATE YOU!", she hollered.

"And I hate you for making me say 'i hate you'", she added sniffingly, before storming out the door. A gust of wind run through my hair when the door was pushed open violently. For one moment all I could see was a tuft of curly onyx colored silky hair, belonging to a girl with a light mocha skin. For a felt millisecond she turned her head in my direction. Her eyes had such a bright 'green' shade that I almost cricked my neck staring at her. She frowned at me, probably because she accused me of eavesdropping,_(which I did indeed) _while slowing down her speed a little, to avoid crashing against the wall. I asked myself if it would be a very good idea to stay right in the line of fire and stepped aside. I didn't had the slightest desire to be dragged into family issues. I was busy dealing with my own ones.

"Honey wait, you... Oh, Mr. Reid. On schedule. Like always.", she tired to sound extra polite to disguise her mixed feeling's about the fight with her daughter.

"I know we had an appointment, Mr. Reid, but some... urmh ..., issues have... accrued. And I really need to take care of them. So could we...?".

"Cancel today's session?", I finished the sentence, "Sure. No problem."

"That's very generous of you. I know you're very busy", she answered with a relieved smile. With that she returned to her office and closed the door.

_I'm heading home,_ I thought. No need to strike root's here.

I slowly strolled down the alley. When I was just considering stopping by the library something caught my attention. It was the girl with the catlike eyes from before. The Deacon's daughter. I decided to offer her my comfort. If she turned me down I would back off. I moved closer to her. A warm breeze made her onyx hair swirl, and... . _"Wow. What an amazing scent."_ , I thought.

"Sweet Pea".

I froze.

"_Did …..., did I just said that out loud?"_, I asked myself.

"What did you just call me?", she asked. I couldn't make out if she was angry or surprised. Her voice seemed neutral to me.

"I...,um..., I just wanted,... I'm sorry.", I stammered.

"I didn't ask you to apologize, Silly.",she snickered,"How come,you know my nickname? You know, my Maw maw is the only one... .

'Was' the only one, who called me that", she corrected herself.

"Wait, did my mother send you? Did she tell you about the nickname?", she asked with a slightly suspicious undertone.

"What? No, of course not!", I tried to defend myself.

She smirked, "Let's skip that part, where we both pretend you didn't hear me fighting with my mom."

"Okay.", I backed down,"But I really just thought, that I literally could smell 'sweet peas'. On you,", I admitted.

"That's odd.", she declared. "Yeah, I know, I'm a weird guy.", I confessed.

"No, no. I didn't mean it like that. It's just that...", she started.

Awkward silence.

"My 'Maw maw' used to say that too.", she tried to explain,"She always said, that when I was around, she wouldn't miss Home so much anymore. Because I would smell like her favorite flowers. ", she smiled, sunken in thoughts about her grandma.

"I miss her a lot. Especially lately.", she sighed, "I'm not on very good terms with my mom. And although my parents got divorced 6 years ago, we still were a family. And every time mom and dad disagreed on something, 'Maw maw' would always find a satisfying compromise for everybody."

"And that recently changed?", I asked while sitting down next to her on a park bench. When doing so, I tried not to invade her personal space.

She nodded as her eyes filled with tears ,"She passed away over a year ago.",she snuffled loudly.

I'd never been the touchy-feely sort of guy, but all of sudden, I had a certain urge to hug her.

"_That's totally inappropriate!", I _rebuked myself,"_She's only 12. And on top of that she is your Deacon's daughter. You should be ashamed of yourself."_

"_I could give her a friendly pat on her back. That wouldn't be awkward. Right?", I _asked myself.

"_No, it still would be weird.", I _decided and stood up abruptly. Recognizing the sudden movements, she turned around.

"You need to go, huh?", she asked with a strained voice. "Yeah, i..., I have..., to. Yeah.", I stuttered.

"_Darn it! Why do I feel so guilty. I don't even know her?"._

A group of chatting student's distracted me for a moment. When they came closer, they lowered their voice's and pointed their finger's in our direction as if they would talk about us. All of a sudden I felt an strong uneasiness creeping up my back. They moved closer and stopped when they were out of harm's way. A guy, not looking older than 25 detached himself from the group and took a valiant step forward. I mentally prepared myself for his insults. But when he spoke, he addressed the cat-eyed-girl. "Eerie Cassy? Are you 'Eerie Cassy'?", my jaw dropped.

"_What was that about?"_, I wondered.

"_So her name is Cassy,huh?"._

"I don't like that name, but yes?",she measurably frowned. The guy swallowed thickly, obviously feeling even more nervous knowing that he now had upset her. He cleared his throat.

"Could you..., could you do me a favor?", while he avoided eye contact. "No, favor's are out of stock today. And what is more, they're reserved for friends. And I wouldn't actually call YOU a friend.", she smirked banefully, which made the guy shiver a little.

"C'mon, let me see it.", she prompted and reached out her right hand.

"_What the heck is going on here?"_

He pulled out a 20 $ bill from his pocket. Without bothering to look at it she tucked it in her..., "_bra!", _I gasped,"_Where did she get those attitude's?"_. I was stunned.

"Your hands!", she commanded. The guy still refused to look at her directly. "If you changed your mind that's fine too, but I gotta tell you there's no chance of refund. So what will it be?",she asked still smirking,"Fine, your choice", she said. When she attempted to turn around he quickly grabbed her hand. My protective instinct kicked in and I moved closer. One single hint from her and I would gladly sacrificed myself for her.

Where was this new brave attitude coming from, I wondered.

"Okay, let's see what we have here.". She closed her eyes. Now he even dared to look at her, with awe. "I see..., a girl...",

"I'll get a new girlfriend...?". She opened her eyes and shushed him. "Okay, I can't see a exact day, but you'll meet her soon. She will be..., Whoooo. I'm not sure if I'm suppose to see this. This is..., ooohh..., uhm, very... . Well let's say delicate.", she chuckled. She let go of his hands and gave him his 20 $ back. He shook his head,"No it's your's.", he said a little irritated. "You'll need it anytime soon. Believe me.", she insisted.

"Really? Why is that?", he seemed rather suspicious than concerned. "It's your car. I know it's not scheduled to have a check up in near future but you should get one anyway. It's too risky too...,","Could you help my friends too?", he interrupted bluntly. His friends moved closer reaching out their hands to 'Eerie Cassy'.

"That's enough!", I yelled, stepping in front of her to shield her from the crowd of onlooker's,"This is not a f***king freak show! Get lost!", I snapped. She crossed her arms across the chest, and seemed to feel very uncomfortable. I laid my arm around her shoulder's and pulled her closer, when they finally stopped staring and left. She leaned her forehead on my chest and started sobbing. "Those stupid douchebag's .", she gasped out, "Why can't they just leave me alone?", she cried out.

"Why did they called you Eerie Cassy anyway?", I asked while I gently stroked her back.

"Two year's ago.", she sniveled,"There was a fun fair, close to Campus. Maw maw and I thought it would be fun to forecast the people's future. I decorated a purple tent with spooky items. I even had a crystal ball and a pendulum. Everything went fine till... .", she hesitated to go on.

"Till what?", I asked, and waited patiently for her to carry on with her story.

"There was a older lady. She..., she came in our tent. Along with her grandson. She said he was pretty anxious because the second they got there, he insisted to go to the 'Fortune Tellers' tent first. When I held her hands..., I..., I...", she stammered,"What happened?", I encouraged her to tell me more. "I told her that she should go to see a doctor because her lung's will collapse."

Absently I stroked her hair.

"She got mad and ran out. A little later an Ambulance came and took her to a Hospital. I was so scared.", she shivered, thinking about it."After that, everybody thought I was creepy. That's why they call me Eerie."

I loosened my grip around her. "Just forget about it. That's in the past.", I gave her a gentle smile, and surprisingly she smiled back. She wiped of her tears.

"So your name is Cassy?", I changed the subject.

"Actually, it's Cassandra", she declared. "Oh, sorry. Cassandra. My name is Spencer by the way. I was just on my way to the library. Do you wanna join me?", I offered.

She looked down at her feet as she would see them for the first time in her life. "Can I tell you something first?", she asked scuffing her feet on the ground."Sure. Ask.", I answered. "Do you promise you won't get angry?", she asked with a hasty glance. "Now you made my curious."

"Promise you won't get mad?", she insisted.

I held to finger's up and placed the other hand on my heart "I swear, upon my honor.", I swore ceremonially. When she didn't respond with a smile, like expected, I grew suspicious. "Is it that bad?",when she nodded, my stomach started to cramp.

"When you were..., uhm..., holding me. I saw something."

I decided to go with it, to see where it leads. "What, did you see?", I asked flatly. "Something that's far away in your future. But it's so terrifying that it feels very close."

"_Why does she make it sound so mysterious"?_

"What did you see Cassy?", I struggled to hide my nuisance about her vague statement's.

"Blood. A lot of it. And gut's. Spilled out on the floor", she exhaled.

**Flashback End**

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Reid's PoV**

After that day we kind of became friend's.

When her mom came to the library to pick up some ordered book's the other day, she spotted us sitting side bye side sunken in Adventure's from 'Sir Conan Arthur Doyle'. At first, I feared that my favorite-student-status would be declared invalid when she would learn that her underaged teenage daughter was engaging in a friendship with said student who is going to be 18 soon. And to be frank, there's no logical reason why a 18 'year old genius would bother with the company of a 12' year old little girl. The only one I could think of, (except the one just simply enjoying the company of a other natural born talented person like me) almost made me puke. But her mother proofed me wrong. She actually even accomplished to set us up for the same classes, so we could spend more time together. I wondered what happened to her after we lost touch. Then i felt a strong tension in the air.

"Reiiid?", Hotch called out.

"Right here.", I breathed out."I know that you're here.", he sighed, "Strictly physically seen.", he added slightly annoyed.

"Mind sharing your thought's with us?", Hotch asked with a little less anger in his voice, now that he had won the young genius' attention back again.

"When Garcia mentioned the 'gutting' I remembered something. But I think this time exceptionally, it's unrelated to the case. Never mind."

"Okay, but while you were spacing out we already cleared the most of the details Spence.", JJ pointed out smirking. "C'mon I'll fill you in later, on the flight.", Morgen snickered and made a even bigger mess of my hair with his hand.

**On the plane :**

_**-Three can keep a secret, if two of them are dead.-**_

**[Benjamin Franklin]**

**CMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCM CMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCM CMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCM CMCMCCMCMCMCMCMC**

**Sorry for the very long chap, guys. Hope you'll enjoy anyway. R&R please**

**And happy holiday's to y'all. Yay, cookie's, eggnog and presents !**


	3. Trapped in the Mirror

**A little songfic in this chapter. Couldn't resist ;-)**

Dead End

**Chapter 3: ****Trapped in the mirror**

_"We got a pulse, she's back!", somebody shouted out._

_My heart felt heavy. I didn't care about the noise (frankly i couldn't care less), all i wanted was... sleep!_

I felt like I fell from a very high, cloud like place. My spine, my head, everything ached. My eyelid's fluttered. "Maw maw?", I whispered.

My vision was all blurry, and only cleared very slowly. I saw a young male 'Paramedic' with dirty-blond hair smiling at me. "It'll take a while till you clear in the head again, but your Oxygen saturation is dangerously low. That's why I'll put an oxygen mask on you.

To evaluate my situation, I glanced around. I was surrounded by fuzzy figure's. I could hear them chit-chat, and unconsciously it annoyed me.

I exhaled a sound of pain when the paramedic tried to pull the mentioned oxygen-mask over my obviously still exposed head wound. "I'm sorry Miss, but I promise it will ease the dizziness.", he assured with an apologetic glance.

"_Dizziness? _

_Yes I felt very dizzy. That's true indeed. _

_But why? _

_If the world around me just would stop spinning. Maybe..., maybe then I could figure out why my skin felt so tingly, and why my mouth tasted like I sucked on a rusty nail."_

After a few minutes passed, the breathing got easier. The shapes around me started to form actual people instead of the blurry color stains I saw before. I made a first attempt to get up, but the Paramedic held me back, "Take it easy", he said. He turned his head around and talked to somebody out of my sight.

"Her condition is stable. I think she's ready to be moved".

"Well, then get her on the Stretcher. But we can't bring her to the hospital yet. The police wants to talk to her first.", the other man answered. His voice sounded very gloomy, and it was totally obvious to me that he didn't think to much of the police.

While the blond paramedic instructed me to wrap my arms around his neck so he could lift me on the prepared stretcher he kept on talking to his coworker who made no big secret out of his hatred for the, in his opinion polices' inappropriate behavior's. I tried to ignore their debate on, if it would be better to bring me to the hospital this instant or wait for the police a little longer. My memories came back in bits and pieces.

While they still were fighting, two police car's approached.

In the meantime I already managed to sit up. Two Detective's walked straight up to the paramedics. The grumpier paramedic escorted them inside probably to inspect the crime scene, and show them were they found me. The Officer's who appeared a little to young to me got out of their car too. With drawn gun's, they searched the surrounding areas.

All of sudden I felt like I would be separated from my body._"What's happening here?"_,I asked myself.

I stood beside me, and I had to admit that I looked terrible. In my head played a song...

_"Waiting For the end to come,_

_Wishing I had strength to stand, _

_This is not what I had planned, _

_It's out of my control._

_Flying at the speed of light, _

_Thoughts were spinning in my head, _

_So many things were left unsaid,_

_It's hard to let you go._

…

"Wake up!", I yelled at my motionless body.

No response. Not even a twitch.

"Wake up, wake up, wake up!", I repeated in dreadful fear, my body could vanish into dust.

The blond paramedic rushed over when he spotted me in a sitting position. "You really need to take it easy. We don't want you to collapse, won't we?", he asked with a slight chuckle. When he realized that something was wrong and that I wasn't reacting, he put on a more serious face.

He pulled out a tiny flashlight, "Can you follow the light with your eyes?", he asked concerned.

"_Of course I can't! You talking to an empty vessel."_, I shouted in my bodiless form.

"Herb?", he called out for the older paramedic who just left the Detective's alone to collect evidences,"Let me guess. She completely shut down?", Herb muttered. "Yes. And even tough, her eyes are wide shut she doesn't seem conscious.", It's called shock you 'Greenhorn'.Get her to lay down Rick. We'll gonna bring her to the hospital now."

"I'm afraid we can't let you do that.", the two paramedics named Herb and Rick turned around and frowned at the Detective's.

"Why? So you can interrogate her? She won't answer you.", Rick pointed out. The taller Detective totally ignored him and stepped closer anyway. "Miss, can you tell me what...", "she's not responsive!", Rick interrupted.

For one second I was afraid that the the Detective would slap him across the face when he approached Rick with a imperious glance and raised his hand. But instead he lifted his hat to wipe away the sweat on his forehead.

"Listen.", he sighed,"There's a perverted, sadistic killer on the loose. His body count is already 12. But it could have been 13. And WE need to know why. She's the only victim who survived. Please let us talk to her. She might know something that would help us tracking him down.", he begged politely but firmly.

"You could **try** questioning her but I already told you that she's not responsive. She has a shock, and most likely a concussion.", Rick made clear.

"Miss? Miss? Can you hear me? I'm Detective O'Neill.", he introduced himself. "My partner and I would like to ask you some questions if that's okay. Miss?", he placed a hand on my shoulder and tried to look me in the eye's. And then I felt a tugging in my tummy. Like a magnet it drew me back to my body. As I blinked, I was blinking for real. I was back in my body, otherwise I couldn't have felt the almost unbearable pain that was exploding in my head.

And then it happened!

Horrible picture's flickered before my inner eye.

_An old fashioned kitchen. Two children, in a crouched Stance. In front of a yelling man in cord-pants with suspenders. Beating a shackled, bleeding and crying women with a leather-belt. With every whip he growled "Whore" And something in a foreign language " Peacach! Tá tú náire le do theaghlach!", _

"Don't touch me!", I gasped. The grip on my shoulder fastened. My eye's rolled inside, so that only the white of my eyeballs was visible. "Tá tú..., tá tú náire le do theaghlach.", I babbled, when the Detective shook me. "What? What did you just say.", his voice all of sudden sounded angry and terrified at the same time. He shook me harder and harder, till Rick pushed him away. "That's enough! Are you crazy? I just told you she might have a concussion, and you have nothing better to do then to shake her until she succumbs on her own vomit?", he roared.

When the Detective attempted to move closer again, Rick blocked his way, "Go ahead. Make me lose it. I'll gladly show you the way back to hell.", he said, in a dangerously low inflection.

"Herb, would you please check on her?", he asked, without losing sight of the 'Maniac Detective'.

I could hear and partly see them, but the two approaching black SUV's distracted me.

**Reid's PoV**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

When I got out of the car I still was accompanied by the uneasy feeling I had since Garcia announced on the flight that there would be two more victim's. While the 12'th victim died at the crime scene, the 13'th was still alive. _But in which condition?_

I just wanted to ask somebody to turn off the siren's when I recognized the bedlam.

"Please, no more, no more. I beg you.", a female voice pleaded.

"Don't touch me.", she whimpered. "Please young lady? I just wanna check your vitals.", a young paramedic tried to soothe her,"It'll just take a few seconds.", he assured her.

"SSA Aaron Hotchner, FBI. What is going on here?", Hotch commanded and showed his badge. One of the paramedics made a sudden movement. The girl on the Stretcher probably had been distracted for a moment, so he took his opportunity and tried to apply first aid. Then a lot of things happened at the same time.

The stretcher tipped over, the girl screamed, one of the Detective's rushed over to help. But it was too late. Her body hit the ground and started to twitch uncontrollably. "She has a seizure Herb! Put her back on the stretcher and strap her! Quick!", the younger paramedic ordered.

Already knowing how this would end, Hotch turned around to assign tasks.

"Rossi and Prentiss, you investigate the crime scene. JJ, you go back to the Police Department and help Garcia with the digital Research about the latest victim's. Reid and Morgan, off to the hospital. I'll stay, and have a word with the ascertaining Detective's.", he said in his usual calm business cadence. Glances were exchanged and the team split up in smaller groups.

When I turned my head they already had moved the stretcher with the still twitching and now strapped girl on it, in the ambulance. "I think you guys want to question her too, huh?", the blond paramedic guessed correctly. "Yes, indeed Sir. But we FBI Agents are known for our high patience. We can wait until she's ready to talk.", Morgan flat out admitted.

"Do you wanna see her off to the hospital?", he asked still not fully convinced of our good intentions. When Morgan nodded the blond paramedic clasped his hand's together, "Okay then, follow us inconspicuously.", he said with a light smile on the corner of his mouth, attempting to ease the awkward tension.

"Ready when you are Sir.", Morgan answered. "Call me Rick.", he asked, "I don't like that whole Sir thingy. Makes me feel old.", he turned around and threw a bunch of key's at the older paramedic with a mustache,"You drive Herb. I'll stay in the back with the girl.

The man named Herb muttered some incomprehensible words, but placed himself in the driver's seat anyway.

Morgen took a few steps forward but when he recognized that I didn't follow his lead he grew suspicious. "What's on your mind pretty boy?", Morgan asked with a anxious voice. "Is this about the thing you remembered earlier but thought it wasn't related to this case?", he asked probably already knowing the answer.

I shrugged my shoulder's,"Maybe.", I admitted. He pulled down his sunglasses and gave me an estimating glance.

_He doesn't believe me._, it crossed my mind.

"I don't know, okay?",

"What ever you say kid.", he snickered.

I really didn't know. I'm not even sure if I wanted to know. This whole thing felt very weird.

"Could we..., could we, just go?", I asked, instead to go with Morgan's teasing. I refused to take the car key's he offered me. Even tough my headaches reduced to a bearable State, they still were present and would affect my driving skills.

All the way to the hospital we remained silent. Somehow it felt like,... . The lull before the storm.

8 Minutes later we arrived at the hospital. A little later than the ambulance but still in time. The doctor's on duty were all lined up at the emergency entrance. Rick started briefing immediately when the Stretcher touched the ground, "Patient is a 22 'year old female. Blood Pressure 122 to 86, pulse 120. She had two mild seizures, the second one two minutes ago. Her oxygen saturation... ".

I couldn't listen to him for one more second when I heard a terrible sound from the mobile heart monitor.

"'Beeeeeeeeeeee...,", a flat-line,"...eeeeeeeep'".

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"_Hello? Anybody? Anybody there?"_

"_Where the hell am I?", _I asked myself. I tried to get and expected a sharp pain would run trough my whole body. But it failed to appear. The pain didn't come, and getting up was easier than I thought. Too easy. I scanned the room I was in. I saw two adjustable beds with white sheet's and pastel green covers. Two also white nightstands. One of them was covered with flowers and 'get well cards'. When I moved closer I noticed that my feet didn't made a single sound. I looked down and saw my favorite snuggle socks on my feet. _"Who did THAT?"_, I thought. And than, the scales fell from my eyes."Mom!", I hissed in anger.

She must have been here. But the question is, where is HERE?

"_Is that a bulge underneath the covers?"_ ,i wondered. I moved closer to the bed with the piled up nightstand. I spotted...

"_My glasses..."_ , I gasped. I tried to grab it but I grasped at nothing.

"Dam it! Why can't I touch it?", I started to curse very unladylike as all of my attempts to grab the confounded spectacles failed.

After I calmed myself down a little I decided to examine the bulge I noticed before. But to my surprise..., it was no usual bulge. It was a human. In fact...,_"ME!"_, lying in a hospital bed wearing a patient's gown.

I moved closer to get a better look at myself.

Bandage's were wrapped around my head. Tuft's of my piceous hair were sticking out underneath. I was hooked up to several tubes and beeping machine's. I had dark rings under my eyes. My skin was pale. It was clear for everyone to see that I was a total train wreck.

"_Gosh, what happened to me?"_

I started to cry. I didn't want to, but the tears kept rolling down my cheek's.

"_**Why are you crying?"**_, I heard a girl's voice asking. Startled I turned around. But there was nobody, I was alone.

"_**Why are you crying?**_", the voice asked again a little louder,_**"Are you crying cuz' you're lonely?", **_she asked further.

A little girl stepped through the wall. I gasped in fear. I opened my mouth but the word's refused to come out. I just stood there and stared at her. "I'm lonely.", she admitted,"I used to cry about it too, but not anymore.", she smiled at me. If you ignore the fact that she just walked through a solid wall as if it would be the most normal thing in the world, she was actually a really nice girl.

She had honey blond hair that hung in pigtails from her slight jug-ears. Her sweet snub nose was mottled with freckles. And her steel blue eyes looked around wary. She wore a pink bunny patterned one-piece pyjama. When she turned sidewards I had to suppress a chuckle because I saw a bunny scut sewed on the rear bottom of her pyjamas. It looked adorable.

I wiped away my tears.

"_What are you looking for Honey bear?"_, I asked her.

"_**I'm searching for Lucas. But I can't find him, I think he's hiding from me."**_, she answered fretfully.

"_Who is Lucas? Your brother?"_, she shook her head,_**"Lucas is my bunny."**_, the tone of her voice bespoke me that she was talking about a toy bunny. A actual bunny wasn't allowed in a hospital of course.

"_Maybe your mommy knows where your Lucas is."_, I pointed out. The moment these words escaped my lips I regretted them. She quickly turned around and frowned.

"_**My mommy doesn't hear me. I keep asking her where Lucas is, but she just won't answer me. I even tried to grab her hand so she knows I'm talking to her. But every time I touch her she starts crying. And I don't wanna make my mommy cry."**_, she admitted softly.

She made a face as if she was about to cry, but then...,_**"Hey, I've got an idea. Maybe you can talk to my mommy."**_, she clasped her hands together. _"No sugar. I can't talk to her. If she couldn't hear you she won't be able to hear me either."_, I tried to explain. She started to pout. _**"But the doctor's said I'll never ever wake up again. I'm ready to go. But I need to find Lucas first. And my mommy needs to know that I love her, and that it's time to let me go. Please help me."**_, she begged. _"I can't sugar. I'm the same as you. I'm in a coma too, remember?"_

"_**No ,you're not. You're just in a very deep state of sleep."**_, she took me by the hand and led me to my bed.

And..., she was right. I wasn't in a coma. I wasn't even intubated. I was breathing on my own. I watched myself in awe.

"_**So, will you help me now?"**_, she asked squeezing my hand a little. She gave me a smile as I nodded in assent.

"_**Meet me in the BURN UNIT when you woke up. I gotta go now"**_, she said while she let go of my hand.

"_In which room you are staying?"_, I asked hasty.

"_**You'll know which one."**_, she grinned and waved a goodbye.

"_Wait sugar, I don't even know your name!"_, I called out.

"_**It's Katy!"**_, she hailed while exiting the same way she entered; through the wall.

Without a warning the door was pushed open. And in came an infirmly elderly doctor with a grim face, holding a chart. When he stopped at my bedside, he checked my values and scribbled something on the chart. I rushed over and glanced over his shoulder's. But he gave his title credit with his scrawly writing. He truly was an old-school doctor. His handwriting looked more like riddles to me than actual words or letters. He chewed on his lips and scratched his nearly blank head. He quickly crossed the room and knocked on the patient's bathroom door.

He didn't even bother waiting for an answer, "Just as we suspected, 'normal findings'.", the doctor flat out admitted.

The bathroom door opened, and a slim man walked out, rubbing his face in a towel. "Nothing unusual?", I heard a hushed voice asking. "Nothing that would explain the seizures," he admitted, seemingly disappointed. "I even double-checked if there are damage's to the right front lobe because that...,", he probably searched for a nice word to describe Detective O'Neill. But failed ",...that Detective guy insisted that she was talking in HIS mother language, but was unable to repeat it when asked to do so. I think we...,"

I tried to follow their conversation but something in the bathroom catched my eye. Carefully I stepped inside. I was certain I saw something in the mirror.

"_Hello? 'Somebody here?"_, I asked carefully. No answer.

"_Anybody?"_, I asked a little louder. _"I just saw you in the mirror. Don't hide from me."_, I said.

I put all my effort into making my voice sound steady,_"Come on! I'll tell you my name if you tell me your's."_, I tried to lure him or her out.

I could heard muffled whimpers, seeming to originate from the mirror. But to think somebody was hiding in a mirror was ridiculous. But on the other side..., . Here I stood, having an 'out of body experience'.

"_This is really not the time to think logical"_, I thought.

I moved closer to the mirror. I swallowed my fear and placed myself in front of it. I gasped in surprise. It was empty. I couldn't see my reflection in the mirror. Instead I recognized somebody else. Crouched in the corner of the bathroom. I turned around. And there she was. A teenage girl about 15' years old, with wavy dark brown, and blood encrusted hair. She had wrapped her arms around her knees and rocked back and forth. And she hummed and..., sung.

"_Tick, tock on the clock,_

_5 he already had brought bad luck._

_Stay away from windows,_

_stay away from doors,_

_hear, the Boogeyman in the shadow roars._

_You might wanna run,_

_you might wanna flee._

_Stay, for your life you have to plea._

_Tick, tock on the clock,_

_5 he already had brought bad luck._

_He looks through windows,_

_knocks on doors,_

_get on your knees and crawl on all fours._

_Be prepared, to meet your doom,_

_he thinks your life is overdue"._ , she sung to soothe herself.

I shivered.

"_OMG"_, I exhaled.

Her head jilted up. One second she was still sitting in her crouched position, the next one, she stood right beside me. _**"You can see me?"**_, she hissed.

"_**Are you dead too?"**_, she asked and drew circles around me. _"I...,I..., I'm..."_, I stuttered. All of sudden the mirror started to tremble. She gazed at it and made a startled face. _**"You gotta leave!"**_, she shouted out.

"_**Leave, hurry!"**_, she insisted as I hesitated to move.

"_I can't leave you alone here!"_, I tried to grab her hands,_"Come with me!"_, I yelled at her. _**"No! Go!"**_, she yelled back and pushed me to get me to leave.

Her anger suddenly turned into fear when she realized I wouldn't go without her.

"_Why are you scared of me?"_, I asked, trying to calm her down.

"_**I'm not scared of you."**_, she answered, starting to cry.

"_Then who are you scared of!"_, I pushed further bristling with anger.

"_**HIM!"**_, she screamed and pointing behind me.

Quickly I turned around and stumbled backwards. A mud clotted hand dashed forward, covered the girl's mouth and pulled her back into the mirror.

Flames of wrath blazed inside me. I smashed my fists on the mirror. It was unbearable to be a helpless bystander. "You're not keeping her! Let her go!", I demanded, knowing he wouldn't obey.

The tugging in my tummy was back again. I tried to fight it, but the more I struggled the faster it drew me back.

Back into my body.

I jumped awake, breathing rapidly.

At first I was confused. 'Cuz I couldn't remember when and why I was committed to the hospital. Then I gave in to a sudden urge to call a specific name.

"Spencer?... Spencer? Where are you?", I asked with a fearful voice.

"_Where was that coming from?"_, I wondered.

"_You haven't thought about him for years. Why would you start the whole drama all over again? What is wrong with you?"_, I rebuked myself.

"You know our boy 'genius?", a deep masculine voice asked.

A curtain was pulled aside. And revealed a man with a bald-head and light brown skin. His smile was wiped from his face, when he saw me panting, and gasping for air. He ran outside, probably to get a doctor I guessed. I let myself fall back to the bed. My pneumonia was still significantly aching. My lungs felt like they were on fire. Like somebody had scrubbed them with a steel brush, and dipped them into salt water afterwards.

I felt an abrupt rising tension in the air. "Hey there.", a warm familiar sounding voice said, "Morgan..., um, my Partner 'Agent' Morgen...", he corrected himself,"...said you woke up. How do you feel Miss?", he asked softly. I didn't feel like hiding my nuisance. "Please Spencer. Don't even think of starting THIS stupid game! It comes at an very inconvenient moment.", I hissed angrily.

**CMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCM CMCMCMCMCMCMCMCM**

**Yay! This one was quicker than the others. And also longer XD.**

**Any Questions? PM me. Or simply R&R. Happy 'New Year' to y'all.**


	4. Broken Vow's

**Okay guys I'll TRY to keep this one short ;-)**

**Reid's PoV**

**XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX **

The Girl placed one hand on her forehead and gently stroked it. I couldn't make out why she was so angry. Why did she keep on insisting that she knew me. When Morgan stormed out, to tell me that she's awake and that she had asked specifically for me, I was sure that her brain must have suffered some sort of damage after all. _"How else could she come to allege that she knows my name?"_, I asked myself.

I waited for her to show any sign's of resignation. But she didn't.

She clutched her chest and bowed her head.

_What is she doing?_

She furrowed her eyebrow's and nodded as if somebody invisible would talk to her.

_"It's going to be a lot more difficult to get a proper testimony from her than I thought! Oh my, I really hope she's not delusional!" _, it crossed my mind.

She cleared her throat, "Could somebody please open a window? I'm burning up.", she changed the subject.

"Guess I'll make myself useful then.", Morgan announced, while quickly walking over to tilt the top window. A fresh breeze audibly blew in. Morgan wrinkled his nose. "What is this...*sniff* *sniff*..., intrusive sweet smell?"

"Sweet Peas.", I answered absentmindedly.

"My Maw maw liked the way I smell.", she pointed out tonelessly."Oops, Sorry. Guess I just made a blunder.", Morgan halfway apologized.

She lifted her head and revealed that she had silently started to cry. Her eyes were bloodshot and...,

from a cat like green shade. _"The smell of Sweet Peas? Green kitty eyes , mocha skin? It's Cassy!"_, I realized.

"Cassy?", I exhaled.

"Hi there. Long time no see.", she answered with a icy voice and wiped her tears, Now you have to hand up your case to somebody else I guess."

She smiled smugly.

I thanked god for the ability to hide my emotion's behind a mask. Otherwise, Morgan and Cassy would have seen it all. My fear, the pain, my... compunction. Everything.

"We're from FBI 'Miss' Lavenia. We don't hand cases to others. Others hand cases to us.", Morgan interfered. I gave him a thankful glance. "Thank you Captain Obvious!", she hissed in Morgan's direction.

A few seconds of awkward silence in which nobody even dared to breathe.

"I'm sorry, I'm so grumpy. It's just..., you know?", she shrugged her shoulder's, "If I wanted to be lectured I would've called my mom.", she pointed out with a light smirk on her face.

If there would have still be any doubt's that this girl is actually Cassy, they would have been cleared hereby.

_"An insult wrapped around a half-serious apologize. That totally sounds like Cassy."_, I told myself; fighting the sudden urge to laugh.

"I think I'll leave you guys to it.", Morgan said and earned a frown from Cassy, "You know to talk about..., stuff.", He added, showing signs of discomfort.

"No, not necessary. We were friends in college. We shared alike interest's. Used to hang out all day long, and STUFF. After he turned 21 he dumped me in favor for his career without thinking twice about it. End of story.", she declared.

I felt a painful sting in my heart.

"Wait..., you..., you guys were...?", Morgan stuttered looking slightly confused.

"No, we weren't going out.", she denied his assumption when she recognized my inability to answer that actually simple question.

"We were.", I blurted out, "Just once, though I think it counts."

"Oh, yeah ONCE. That's right. We had one date. And in the end of it you told me that you going to join the FBI...","No. I told you I'm considering it.", I interrupted hasty. She shook her head.

"I saw that you already had accepted the offer.", she pointed out with a strained voice. Tears started to roll down her cheeks.

"I..., I..., I'm...", I started. "What do you mean by, 'I saw it'?", Morgan asked now even more confused. And than I remembered that day. That day that changed everything.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Flashback**

**[6 years earlier]**

"Did you had fun today?", I asked Cassy, insecurely because of her neutral facial expression. "Are you kidding me? This was delightful.", she squealed, and wrapped her arms around my waist. "Thank you so much. I had a awesome day.", she whispered while pressing her cheek on my chest. "Who told you I like 'Abbott and Castello' movies?", she mumbled and swayed me back and forth. "Nobody did. Just a lucky guess.", I answered honestly.

_"Dam it, why does she have to make it so hard for me?"_, I thought, while on the other side I enjoyed her innocent sign's of affection. "What is wrong Spencer?", she asked, suddenly lifting her head up and looking straight into my eyes.

_She looks so worried all of sudden. And her cheerful voice is gone._

_"Does she suspect something?"_, I wondered.

Maybe she felt my inner anxiety. And I couldn't lie to her. That girl was like a walking lie detector. She could always tell if somebody was lying to her. So I decided to distract her, rather than to tell her about my 'future plans'. "Where should we go for dinner?", I changed the subject, hoping she would go with it.

"Really? You let me pick it?", she smiled, hopefully waiting for my nod.

_"Uff, she took the bait."_, I thought, feeling slightly relived. "Yes sure. Where ever you want to go is fine?", I assured her. "I feel like having a classic supper today.", she claimed, still holding on to my waist a little too tightly. It gave me a light oppressive feeling. She suddenly loosened her hug, like she knew it filled me with discomfort. "Classic like, steak and mashed potato's and greasy gravy, with peas and carrots. Or classic like, you cook me something homemade and I read the newspapers meanwhile, and sip on my dry Martini?", I joked.

"YOU!", she called out, and nudged me playfully.

"I think I saw a 50's style Diner down the street. Wanna give it a try?", I asked.

"Can I order as many lemonade as I want without hearing you babbling about additives, flavor enhancer's or antioxidants?", she asked with furrowed eyebrow's. "Only if you let me pay just for once."

It wasn't like she always payed for everything. She only refused to let me invite her to anything. I didn't had any idea why. Maybe because she wants to feel self-dependent? Or maybe she basically rejects money loan's from people she knows. Maybe even both.

"Okay.", she agreed pouting.

On our way to the diner we chatted about meaningless things and did a little window shopping. We stopped at a stationery store. When she saw all the special fountain pens, who even were partly hand&custom made she behaved like a kid in a candy store. Her eyes were glowing like gemstones when she found a traditional looking one. He was completely made of silver, and ornateness were engraved on it. She picked it up from it's dark blue velvet cushion. She marveled it for a while until she was approached by a saleslady. It's beautiful, isn't it?", she asked with a artificial smile. It is indeed!", Cassy admitted a little louder than necessary. Unfortunately this is the only one we have.", the lady said in a tone of voice that bespoke me that this surprisingly wasn't a trick to sell more goods. You're out of stock?", Cassy asked sounding disappointed. We never had it in stock.", she answered with a excusing simper on her lips, It was custom made, and the customer who ordered it never came to pick it up, and this is only a exhibition piece and is therefore not for sale.", she said back in business. I grabbed her by the elbow to whisper in her ear. Watch it, her body language tells me that everything she's about to say now is a lie.", she frowned. "Gosh Spence, could you stop analyzing people for just one evening?", she grumbled. She broke away from my tight grip and placed the fountain pen back on it's cushion. Angry she tramped outside. "We'll come back some other day.", I said, knowing it was a lie. I was sure, I wouldn't ever put a foot in this store.

I rushed outside, thinking I had to run to catch up to her. But to my surprise she was still outside leaning to the store's wall with a cocked leg. She didn't even looked angry, just sad. I moved a little closer. I knew she would feel my attendance, she always did. "You know..?" she started, "That filler looked exactly like I wanted mine to look." she declared. What an odd coincidence." I confessed.

"Coincidence? I...", she obviously tried to avoid a fight and backed down. "Let's go, I'm hungry.", she called out. A warm feeling ran through my whole body when she grabbed my hand and pulled me towards a big flickering red Neon sign that said**: **"Sal's Diner, We're open!"

I looked around. Everything seemed clean and neat to me. No oily stains, no dust covered the lamp's. "Looking for germs Sherlock?" Cassy teased.

"Actually, Sherlock Holmes never was said to be a neat freak. He was rather chaotic and sloppy. In the traditional story's he was described as, a lady's man, a smoker, town-drunk, even messy. And occasionally it was hinted that he was slightly delusional, due to his assumed drug abuse. Frankly I think he would have drowned in the chaos that he called life, if it wasn't for his friend Watson. He was also...", "Spence, Spence, turn it off." Cassy interrupted. I gave her a confused glance while we were sitting down in a booth that she had chosen. "Turn what off?", I asked still confused. "You are in LECTURE MODE again.", she pointed out. "You know I had a hard time trying to keep up with you in that classes you already had been in for quite some time. But we're on the same level when it comes to literature. Remember? We started literature the same day?", she said slightly amused. "

Right sorry.", I answered quietly and blushed.

"Coffee?", a red-haired waitress asked, kindly smiling at Cassy.

She smiled back, "I'm only 16, and what's more, I don't like coffee very much. He's old enough to drink coffee though.", she said pointing at me. "Or beer.", she added snickering. The waitress gazed at me while my blush deepened to a bold scarlet red. "How old are you?", she asked and furrowed her eyebrows.

"_Oh oh! Now I'm in a quandary. When I tell her that I'm 18, she thinks I lied to Cassy to impress her. But if I tell her the truth she probably thinks I'm lying too. Or worse, she believes me and thinks I'm a pedophile."_, I thought.

I decided to be honest.

"I'm 21 Ma'am.", I just wanted to shrivel up when the waitress kept glaring at me.

When I finally felt strong enough to sustain her wicked stares I lifted my head. She didn't hesitate to look straight into my eyes.

Probably convinced of the fact that I would be one of the few good and righteous guys, she poured coffee in my cup, and asked if she could take our Orders or if she should come back later.

I let Cassy order what she wanted and asked for the daily switching dessert special, which seemed to be a blueberry-cheesecake today. "You're lucky, we have one left. Do you want whip cream on top?", the waitress asked kindly. While I still thought about the answer Cassy took it in her own hands to order for me. " He'll start with a mushroom cream-soup, as the main course, the meat loaf with string beans, gravy and croquettes. And don't be cheap on them, he needs the extra carbohydrates. To drink he'll have an orange juice spritzer. And for dessert the mentioned cheesecake, and yes please, a lot of whip cream, he clearly needs it.", Cassy recited so fast that the waitress had difficulties to write it down.

The waitress bowed her head down, "Does she always talk like that?"

"Mostly, yes.", I answered still flabbergasted.

When the waitress left to give the cook the order's I bended over the table to scold her. But before I could do so she gave me her,

you-know-you-can't-be-mad-at-me-glance.

"You're too skinny Spencer. And it's only 3 weeks till our trip to the 'Big Apple'. I don't want you to faint 'cuz your hungry.", she smiled at me. The knot in my stomach that I had since 6 days ago, suddenly felt bigger and heavier. My heart began throbbing so loud that I feared she could hear it.

"Yeah, about that...", I started hesitantly,"I can't...", "You can't what?", she asked sharply. "I can't go to that trip.", I breathed out , without looking directly into her eyes. I kneaded my hands in my laps.

"There, there. Was that so hard?", she asked with a soft voice. Slightly confused I raised my head, only to see her smirking.

"You're not mad?", I asked a little suspicious. "Why should I? You did nothing wrong. And I know, if you forsake me on our trip it must be something very important.", she explained still smirking. That was Cassy's very own language for:

"You better have a damn good reason to bail on me, or I'll make you pay for your betrayal."

_"Damn it. Why do have girls always talk with subtext."_, I thought.

"I got a job offer.", I flat out admitted. Her face brightened.

"Really? That's great.", she instantly was hooked, "I think all the extra work and the countless internships finally payed off, huh?", it wasn't hard to tell that she was truly happy for me. "From where do you got the offer anyway? Oh no don't tell. I'll guess it.", she giggled.

"Hospital?", I shook my head. "Loony bin?", I frowned when she used that term. "Sorry I shouldn't had used that words.", she apologized guilt-ridden.

"Than there's only one possibility left. A 'Research Institute'."

I shook my head again.

She furrowed her eyebrows, "Okay, now I'm confused. Because there is really nothing left what you could do with the degree's you have. I mean, sure everybody would scramble to get you. But when somebody had offered you a job without you apply for it...", "I didn't apply for this job.", I interrupted a little more harshly than necessary. She reached over the table and took my hands in hers,"Which kind of job you had been offered?", she asked quietly to soothe me. I thought about the many times I was practicing this conversation in front of the mirror. But I never got past that part where Cassy points out that she's happy for me. So I had to rethink the situation again. How to tell her that that I only took the extension courses and all the extra internships to accomplish one specific goal. To work in a certain division of the FBI. As I just finished composing a fitting answer, Cassy pulled her hands back. I gave her startled glance. I tried to read her facial expression.

She suddenly looked mortified ."You'll gonna work for the FBI.", she said with a strained voice. Like she said it, it didn't sound like a question. Rather like a fact.

"No, I haven't decided yet.", I tried to defend myself. But secretly knowing that it was only half the truth. I bowed my head down to avoid her glare.

"Why do you lie?", she asked suddenly. Looking up, i saw her biting her quivering lower lip, and avoiding eye contact."I don't want you to work for the FBI.", she admitted after a few seconds of uncomfortable silence. "What? What do you talking about?", I asked with a slightly upraised voice,"I know it's a risky job but... Wait... How do you know the FBI offered me a job?", I gave her an irritated glance.

"I thought that I could prevent it. You know..., the things I kept seeing since the first day we met...", she seemed to totally ignore my former words. "And now I must determine, that I caused what I wanted to avoid. I guess that's what you call an paradox. If I wouldn't had interfered with the timeline nothing would had happened. Silly me!", she exclaimed chuckling. "Cassy, what are you talking about?", I asked, now sincerely worried. She looked straight into my eyes,"Why do you think I encouraged you to take classes based on psychology, chemistry or math, and take courses that deal with engineering? I wanted you as far away from gaining 'Field Agent' skills as possible.", she hissed angrily.

She looked sidewards,"I knew that 'Gideon' guy means trouble.", she grumbled. "Wait, you know Mister Gideon?", I asked confused and interested at the same time. "Yeah. He was snooping around for quite some time. Asked me questions about you. If you had any other friends than me. I told him about Ethan, and that I don't know much about him myself."

Awkward silence.

Hasty she grabbed my hand and squeezed it almost hurtfully. "You gotta call that so called Agent Gideon, and tell him that you changed your mind. Please reject his offer. Please, just do me the favor.", she begged.

"Do you a favor?", I echoed. Now it was my time to be angry. "Why should I give up such an amazing career opportunity just to please you?", I answered flatly. I regretted those words the instant they escaped my mouth. "I'm sorry. I... I didn't mean to...", "Say it **like that?**", she finished the sentence for me. "I never had somebody to explain myself to. I mean I have my mom but, she would be proud of me no matter which path I choose.", I declared more calmly now. "If you would had seen the things I saw, you would understand why I need you to stay. Right here. Where you're safe.", she said in dangerously calm. "It won't be for long.", I started.

She furrowed her eyebrow's,"What do you mean, not for long?", she demanded to know with crossed arms. "While I'm still in training it's forbidden to have contact with outsiders. But when my probation period is off. I'll call you straight away.", I said trying to make her smile again. "Promise you'll be careful?", she gave in. "Yes of course.", I assured her without hesitation. She smiled lightly and wiped away the tears that had started to drip when she had begged me to stay. "I still wish I could talk you out of this.", she sighed.

"How do you always know the things you know?", I asked halfway serious to change the subject, and smiled at her hoping she would take the bait.

"Let's just say, it's the most reliable source in the world to get information. 'Female Intuition'.", she smiled back.

Then she abruptly stood up. "What..., what are you doing.", I asked irritated. "I'm going home. Suddenly I'm not hungry anymore.", she pointed out. "Wait. I'll give you a ride home.", I said, and followed her lead and got up on my feet.

She fished in her pocket's and pulled out a few dollar bills and placed them on the table. "Don't bother. I'll take the bus. It's still early so it should be safe to ride alone."

"Can I call you tomorrow?", I asked carefully, hoping this thing didn't had put our relationship at odds. "Sure. Why not?", her voice suddenly sounded melancholy'. Like she wished for something to happen, but knowing it never would. She attempted to leave, but turned around and raised herself on her tiptoes, laid her hands on my shoulders and slightly pushed me down, and...

Placed a passionate kiss on my forehead. When she stormed out I felt a few warm teardrops on my face that weren't my own.

Thoughtfully I watched her as she left.

**Flashback End**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Cassy's PoV**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_"Why is he staring at me like that?", _I thought. I wiped my tears and tried to shift my weight in a more comfortable position, but a sharp pain that ran from my head trough my whole body stopped me from doing so. "Ouch!", I called out and writhed in pain. Spencer didn't hesitate to help. He put his one hand on my stomach and placed the other one on my neck and made me lay back. The other man who's skin was so shaded like my own quickly moved closer too. He bended over me took my hand and carefully squeezed it. "**We **knowyou've been through a lot lately. And nobody wants to put even more stress on you, but...", "Morgan!", Spencer interrupted harshly. The man gave him a surprised glance. "She's obviously in pain and needs to rest.", he pointed out. Something told me that his co-worker 'Morgan' wasn't used to see him acting out like this. The continuously increasing atmosphere made me feel very uncomfortable. "I know you only try to help...", I started and faced Reid, "...but FIRST: I'm a big girl, I can talk for myself. And second: Right now you're not really helping. You just piss me off!", I nearly yelled the last words. I let myself sink deeper into the pillows and panted unsteadily.

Spencer gave me an undefinable glance. "Are you dull? Get out!", I demanded. I frowned at him as he didn't made the slightest attempt to remove himself out of my sight.

"We can't leave you alone. You're under FBI supervision.", Agent Morgan declared. "Only for your own safety of course.", he added when he recognized my suspicious expression. "Did you find the man who did this...", I pointed to my bandaged head,"...to me? And what is with that poor other guy in my living room? Was he dead?", I asked sincerely worried. Morgan and Spencer exchanged irritated glances. "What?", I asked alarmed.

"Yes he was dead.", I gasped when Morgan confirmed what I somehow already had assumed. "But he was killed **after **you had been knocked unconscious.", Morgan went on.

"What?", I breathed out. "Yeah. He was a casual thief with tendency's to...,toooooo...", he hesitated to go on. "With tendency's to what?", I asked and gave him a look of expectancy. "I know it may not look like it right now, but I'm not a fragile little porcelain doll that needs to wrapped up in cotton wool. So what ever it is that you wanted to tell me, I can take it.", I flat out admitted. "He had tendency's to sexually assaulting people of both gender's.", Agent Morgan declared hesitantly.

"Hhmm. He didn't appear bisexual to me.", I mumbled to myself.

"That's the thing you need to explain to us a little more detailed."

I smirked,"Well, bisexuals interact with both genders, romantically and sexually. They...", "You know very well that Agent Morgan didn't mean that when he asked for more details.", Spencer interrupted me politely but firmly. I looked at him, and as our eyes met he blushed. He was obviously uncomfortable with being stuck in a conversation that had sexual content. And somehow I knew that he only was uncomfortable with it 'cuz a girl was present, and on top of that a girl he knew.

"You claimed that you saw him. But that's impossible. You were already unconscious when he broke into your house.", Agent Morgan pointed out. "No. That can't be. I remember waking up because I heard breaking glass. I got up searched for my gun, and when I couldn't find it I took my baseball bat for self defense. I sneaked downstairs. And found the man that I saw in my dreams lying in a puddle of his own blood. I'm sure it was the same guy.", I insisted. "You gotta believe me Spencer.", I addressed to Spence when I recognized Agent Morgan's disbelieving glances. "Wait a sec'. What do you meant when you said you had seen him in your dream?", Agent Morgan asked with an undefinable expression on his face. "I...", I began, but was stopped when I saw Spencer's almost imperceptibly head-shaking. Presumably to tell me, to not answer this question. But why?

_"Was it a gotcha question?"_, I asked myself.

I decided to answer it anyway.

"Don't ask. The answer would only give you terrible headaches.", I put him off.

"Speaking of headaches. Mine are getting worse, could you get me some pain killer's,", I tried to smile through the sudden pain that made my eyelid's twitch. While Agent Morgan rushed outside to get a doctor, Spencer came closer and placed his thumbs on each sides of my forehead and began to draw circles to ease the pain. And it helped. From moment to moment it got better. When Agent Morgan was back, he had a junior doctor in his tow. "Oh my goodness she's awake!", he called out. I rolled my eyes at him.

He shoved Spencer out of his way, took out a slim silver flashlight and alternately beamed into my eyes and asked me the standard questions like:

-"Do you know which day it is?"

-"Do you know which year we have?" etc. ...

I pushed his hands aside,"I'm not having a concussion caused amnesia. Just give some painkillers and I'll be fine.", I demanded.

"I'm an ongoing Neurosurgeon. No drug dealer.", he bragged, obviously offended. "I'll tell you how this is gonna go down now.", Agent Morgan threw in. "You are the doc, she's the patient. She's in pain you have something that eases it. She asked for it, and you'll give it to her.", he indicated. "Are we clear, Doc?", he asked slightly smirking.

The doctor swallowed thickly, apparently intimidated. Embarrassed her cleared his throat."I will instruct the nurse to give you something for the pain.", he proclaimed. He flipped the flashlight over which simultaneously seemed to be a pen and scribbled something on my patient's chart with it. Probably to appear busy.

Suddenly you could hear excited voices that seemed to come from the hallway. I wished the ground would open and swallow me, when I recognized one of the voices as that of my mother.

Embarrassingly, she loudly proclaimed her surname, and demanded access to my medical records. Something in her tone told me that they did not believe her that she was my mother, and I knew exactly why. It had nothing to do with her skin color. It was not unusual after all that fair-skinned and dark-skinned people had children together. I knew that my mom was very proud of her name, but somehow she kept forgetting that being on campus and gaining respect the same moment you say your name and doing the same **off** campus doesn't have very alike effect's. And doesn't get any better by yelling at people as she was doing right now, until you show them your ID.

_It's because, I'm under constant supervision. That is probably the reason why they refuse to let her through._

"What do you mean, it's just a bit inconvenient?", I heard her screaming. Then, the male sounding voice said something, quieter but understandable. "She woke up about 3 minutes ago. My colleague is just running some tests. But it looks like, she will suffer no permanent damages. At least no physical. However, the mental...", I could hear him sigh, "…, well, let's hope for the best.". As his beeper went off, he apologized hastily and quickly ran to the room that had sounded the alarm.

"Pfft.", she snorted contemptuously and mumbled something of 'quack' and 'douchebag'.

_"Why does she always behave like a teenager when she's stressed out?"_, I asked myself.

"Who are you?", she asked somebody I couldn't see of course.

"Oh dear, I think she found a new victim she can bawl out."

"I think it's Hotch she's talking to.", Agent Morgan pointed out directed to Spencer with raised eyebrows. "He'll talk her down.", he addressed to me. "I don't know. She can be quite a handful. Furthermore, she is also pregnant, and therefore has extreme mood swings.", I explained.

"Could you talk to her Spence? She has always liked you. She'll listen to you.", I begged.

"She didn't tell you?", he asked cocking his eyebrow's. "Tell me what?", I queried. "Now when i come to think of it. All those years, you must have probably thought that i broke my promises.", he said tonelessly.

"When I called your house phone that day I got off probation like I promised, she answered the call. She...",

"That's enough! I'm going in now. And don't you dare trying to hold me back Mister Super 'Agent' Hotchner!", I heard my mom blurting out. Spencer was irritated.

The door was violently pushed open. And my mother came rushing in. Her cinnamon hair fluttered in the wind. She was still wearing her normal clothes, even though they no longer were fitting around her bloated belly. Her hair looked unkempt and tousled. I could see trails of dried tears on her cheeks, as she bended down, to kiss and cuddle me.

"Mom...I,...I. Mom, I'm suffocating. You're smothering me.", I panted. When she finally let go of me, I gasped for air.

She took my head into her hands and looked at me like she would had never really saw me before. "I thought I've lost you when I saw you in that state you were in when I first arrived here."

I softly removed her hands and held them loosely in my own,"Mom. Everything's gonna be fine." I assured soothingly.

"Ain't that right Doctor Steiner?", I asked the doctor emphatically, without loosing sight of my mother.

Hasty she turned around, only to notice there was **indeed** a doctor in the room. "I only have two questions!", she announced.

"One!What is the true state of my daughter, and don't you lie to me stripling?", she demanded with both hands on her hips.

"I'm only a junior doctor in the second year," he squeaked,"I may not pass on such information. Not without the senior physician in charge. I am not authorized to do so.", he added hastily, as he was starting to feel the piercing gaze of my mother, who told him that it would be unwise to mess with her.

Especially not in this condition in which she was.

She ran her fingers through her hair, to unravel it at least a little. But it changed her appearance only moderately. She still looked like an emotional wreck.

I suddenly felt guilty. It was, after all, not my intention to put me in this situation. But as she stood right in front of me, angry and sad that a human being could do that to another. I felt like I was the one to blame for the misery.

"Could you..., could you guys leave us alone for a moment?", I asked, having problems to hold back my tears, which were burning flaming hot in my eyes. The emotional stress was unbearable. I am, I believe that what is called hypersensitive. An empath so to speak.

Agent Morgan and Spencer exchanged meaningful glances.

"Dr. Reid and I..,", "Reid!?", my Mother hissed interrupting Agent Morgan. "I didn't know this was your case!", she remarked, still hissing like a snake. "I didn't know that you're still in the States at all. I thought you were already in...", "Europe? Or rather, Romè ?", he asked with a well-knowing smile on his lips.

"Nah, I'd thought, if **she** traveled so far to get rid of me, it's better to stay here.", I was very very confused

It was not the words that he said, nor in what tone of voice, but to whom he addressed them to.

_My mother?!_

"Agent Morgan and I will move our discussion to the outside into the hall, so you can chat in private.", he said in a careful polite tone. He bowed down, put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed it gently, while he silently with his lips mouthed the words 'she said you had moved away'.

Still confused, I looked after him as he, Agent Morgan and the doctor left the room.

_All the time I thought he had broken his Vow's, I was wrong._

"What did you do Mother?!", I yelled at her, finally realizing what Spencer was talking about and been trying to explain.

**CMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCM CMCMCMCMCMCMCM****CMCMCMCMCMCMCM****CMCMCMCMCMCMCM****CMCMCMCMCMCMCM************CMCM****CMCMCMCMCMCM**

**sorry guys!**

**It got long again, hope you like it anyway.**

**R&R pleeeeeaaaaasssssseee! :-))**


	5. This Case just got personal!

**This time I won't promise anything regarding the length of the chapter! But I hope it stays on tolerable level. ;-)**

Dead End

**Chapter 5****: ****This Case just got personal!**

I paced the floor in front of Cassy's room. I just couldn't sit on a chair and wait patiently for the conversation between her and her mother to end.

_Her eyes! Her mother's eyes. _

Ice-blue, piercing eyes had followed me when I left that room. I got cold chills, only thinking about it.

When I was off probation, the first thing I did when I thought '_now is the time where I can sneak out unnoticed_'', was calling Cassy. But the Operator told me the number would be no longer in Service. So I called the house number I had, and wondered why her private telephone number was disconnected.

Of course her mother answered the call. I never talked to her about things they weren't college related, at least not much. Therefore, a tense silence arose after she sniffed a loud 'Lavenia' in the receiver. I didn't know what to say but decided to pretend like I didn't hear her crying.

"Uhm. This is Spencer. Spencer Reid, could I talk to Cassy please?", I asked, back then not knowing it was very insensitive.

"No, you can't! She's gone! My baby is gone! She won't ever come back!", she suddenly yelled. My heart stopped beating for one painful moment. "She's dead?", I asked gasping. "No! Worse! She left to live with her father in Italy!", she growled,"It's all your fault. You've turned her head! Do you know that she was all messed up when you left, crying herself to sleep every damn night? She was a nervous wreck! It took me months to fix her! And after that she wasn't herself anymore!", she screamed sobbing and sniffing in between. "I didn't knew that it would upset her so much Mrs. … ", "Neither did Cassandra!", she interrupted bluntly. "Don't call here anymore. No letters, No cards, and no visits. When I think think about it, **especially** no **VISITS**. Just stay away from her. Don't do anything stupid. And with stupid I mean flying to Rome and try find her. You wouldn't do her, nor yourself a very big favor if doing so, believe me. She's better off without you!", she muttered in hushed voice. And with those last words the call got disconnected. For one minute I just stood in the old phone booth, staring at the receiver.

_Why did she tell me to stay away and not to call anymore if Cassy was overseas and unreachable anyway?_

I'm pretty sure she actually wanted me to go search for Cassy, by telling me to stay here. I just didn't know why; _Well till now._

**Short Flashback****:**

"Are you all set?", a manly voice asked. I felt caught, and turned around quickly. "What's with that scared face, 'Pretty Boy'?", asked the man who was introduced to me a few minutes ago as Agent 'Morgan', grinning. "Pretty Boy?", I frowned.

_"What was that guy thinking? Giving me an nickname just like that? Was he making fun of me? Or was it a... . A flirtation?"_, I had to swallow thickly. "What's your point of trying being flirty with me?", I snapped trying to stay as calm as possible. "Trying? Okay, so I was probably too subtle here.", he snickered but stopped when he recognized my stony grim face. "Okay, I got it kid. You're obviously allergic to my kind of jokes.", he raised one hand in the air and placed the other one on his heart for a solemn oath,"From now on I swear I will never flirt with any co-workers, present one included,..", he glanced at me," not for the sake of appearance OR for real", he finished his vow, not knowing that he'll break this promise in less than 3 years.

I prepared to profile him, but remembered what Agent Hotchner made me promise. He had made me promise that we won't profile each other. Working so closely together and knowing every single detail about the lives of the others would be very irritating, and would probably influence our work performance negatively. I agreed to this only too happily. Since I did not feel the slightest desire to be stamped as a child prodigy with daddy issues and slight tendency to be mama's boy.

"So off we go." Agent Morgen said and clapped his hands, "I hope you don't have any problem's with flying on a plane?", he asked half concerned half joking. "The possibility of dying in a plane crash is rated with 14%, while getting injured from the same cause and not dying immediately, giving you a 95.7% chance of surviving. So I..., er..., w-ee should be fine.", I replied as I shouldered my bag, and smiled politely at him. He smiled back insecurely, like he was not sure if I cracked a joke or was being serious. I watched him a little more closely and noticed that he seemed stressed. He nibbled nervously on his lower lip.

Then I saw the light."You yourself have never flown on a plane, am I right?", I asked sympathetically.

"Nope. And to be honest, I always hoped it would never come to this. I never had the chance to try out if my stomach can withstand a flight without making me puke." He pursed his lips in disgust, and added, " I guess today is the day I'll find out exactly THAT.", he remarked sulking. Suddenly I felt compassion for him.

**Flashback End**

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxx**

"Reid. It won't go any faster just because you pace the hall up and down and gaze at the door.", Morgan pointed out snickering. He put down the magazine he'd been leafing through, sticking his hands into his pockets he walked up to me. "So?", he asked slightly impatient. "So, what?", I asked languidly. He still must have been thinking something is funny, because he just couldn't seem to stop smiling "She's... Well let's say..., interesting. I'd like to know if...", "I'm not talking about Cassy with you.", I interrupted Morgan still calm but even more bored.

Now he frowned. "Is this the moment where you assure me that this case doesn't upset you less or more than any other?", I stared at him questioningly, while he watched me closely with raised eyebrows. "Yes it is obvious, that something is nagging you."

"It is?", "Hell yes. But for now...", he sighed,"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but sooner or later we'll..."

"No, stop it!", Cassy's mom yelled suddenly. "You ain't gotta tell me what to do anymore! Since you haven't noticed it; I'M ALL GROWN UP! And I wouldn't even ask for your permission if I had to.", she screamed so loudly that her voice nearly cracked.

"Now go, before i say things i might regret, or worse, actually mean.", even through those thick walls I could hear and feel her rage filled voice.

Morgan glanced at me with a sorrowful grimace. I shook my head anxiously. Because I knew only too well that Morgan had no qualms about kicking in doors in hospitals, OR kicking in doors at all.

When we were still in College, I heard them fighting all the time, about pretty much everything. Their conversations always got heated very quickly, but cooled off at the same speed. I heavily doubted that this one would end up much different.

**[**2 days later...**] **

"Knock, knock. We're here to escort you to your safe house Mrs. Daisy", Morgan said jokingly.

Cassy sat on the edge of her bed and looked..., well different. Like a lot different. The bandages had been replaced with an iodine-soaked patch. The intravenous administration of pain medication had been discontinued apparently. Because her hand had been patched up with a wadded pad and a small piece of gauze. And somebody had brought her some cloth's so she could get rid of that patients gown's they barley covered your rear. But the attire in which she presented herself was totally ..., well, let's say in 6 years, a lot can happen.

She wore a black dress with a slightly flared skirt and high-necked white collar and lace sleeves, skull patterned stockings, and flat Mary Janes.

She gave Morgan a reluctantly smile, and slightly turned her head.

"Wow! A goth chick," he pointed out unnecessarily.

"Safe house?", she echoed and totally ignored Morgen's statement about her looks. " Yes. We can't let you go back to your place. It's still too risky right now." I said with an apologetic face. She eyed me suspiciously, "I guess I'm still under observation," she sighed. Annoyed, she brushed her hair back around the patch on her head to cover it at least a bit.

Although she looked very grown up now, she still appeared to me like that little 12 year old girl I had gotten to know, for more than over 10 years ago. I tried to ignore her female curves. But as I noted earlier, 6 years are a long time. The little girl with the doll face was gone. And in its place a woman with perfect caramel-colored skin had come, that now looked at me appraisingly. She watched me from the corner of her eye.

"Are you ready to go?" Morgan asked cheerfully. "Not yet, but soon.", Dr. Steiner answered in Cassy's behalf which made her frown at him. "I will prescribe her a few medicines. A painkiller for the recurring headaches, antibiotics for the already decaying inflammation of the lungs..." he listed, as he flipped through her medical records. "Oh yes, and a pill against megalomania and sophomoric." He added, turning to Cassy smiling. Her frown deepened. "Megalomaniac, huh? Why is that?" Morgan had clear problems with it, to hide his laughter. "Well, when we brought her in for another CAT-scan to search for the cause of her seizures, she thought it's okay to sneak out while we were fixing some technical issues.", Dr. Steiner gave her a stern glance, as if he were scolding a five year old who illicitly had eaten chocolate before dinner. "You could have collapsed, young lady. You should've wait until somebody supervised you. What did you want in the pediatric burn unit anyway?", the doctor asked absently, as he scribbled a few last entries on Cassy's medical files. I recognized a slight change in Cassy. A light blush graced her cheeks. Embarrassed, she stared at her feet. "I wanted to keep my promise. I swear it was harmless. Little did I know that you have to wear sterile clothing. But I should have known." she admitted softly. "Let's forget about it. In hindsight nothing serious had happened.", Dr. Steiner pointed out, and gave Cassy a friendly pat on the shoulder. "I'll have them prepare your papers. A nurse will hand them to you. Along with Care Instructions for your laceration. But it's actually very easy, just keep the wound dry and clean, change the patch several times daily and you should be fine."

"Oh, and don't hesitate to call me if you have any questions.", he insisted and handed each of us his business card.

"If you'll excuse me now, I have to to finish my rounds.", he said and attempted to shake Cassy's hand. But she pulled him closer and leaned over to whisper in his ear. "Get rid of the orchids, if you want her to say yes, she's allergic to them. Pick sunflowers for your proposal, those are her favourites.", a little startled he pulled back and gave her an undefinable gaze. She gave him an encouraging smile. And surprisingly, he smiled back.

"He was right, you are a special kind." he grinned.

Cassy swallowed thickly, "Who was right, about me being special?", she asked concerned. The doctor probably noticed the change in her voice too.

"Well, Your brother Miss Lavenia. He came in yesterday, claiming to be your brother. I told him that you're currently not allowed to have visitors. But he seemed very anxious, so i offered him to wait for her watchdogs..., err.., to wait for you guys", he gestured to us, "Anyhow, he refused to do so, saying you had a big fight the last time you saw each other. But he wanted you to have this...", he pulled out a little jewelry box from his pocket and handed it to Cassy, "...when you're released from hospital. He said, you'll most certainly like it.", his eyes looked around confused, not sure if he had done something wrong.

"That's very nice of my ..., brother. As there is only one problem with this story. I'm an only child ... I have no siblings."

_"Well, at the moment."_, I added to her statement mentally.

Se placed the box on her fingertips and stared at it. My pulse reached a dangerous level when she tried to open it.

_"That's it.! This case couldn't had gotten any more (or less) personal from this point on. I'm gonna hunt you down!", _I swore growling on the inside.

The monster that had slumbered peacefully for over 6 years in my chest, had awakened, thirsting to rip out the Bastards entrails, It bared its teeth, ready to attack.

**CMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCM CMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCM****CMCMCMCM****CMCMCMCM****CMCMCMCMCMCM****CMCMCMCM****CMCMCMCM****CMCMCMCMCMCM****CMCMCMCM****CMCMCMCM**

**Sorry for the Cliffhanger, but this time I wanted to stop BEFORE it gets to long to focus.**

**And please review, could really use some ideas,**

**'cuz lately I'm getting tardy aarrgh !xd**


	6. It's cold, oh so cold!

**This chapter will be, unlike the others rather short!**

I stared at the small jewelry box in the palm of my hand. As I tried to open it, Spencer freaked out. Shouting, he forbade me to open the box.

"We'll have the lab run some tests.", he said a little more calmly.

"Spencer? Can i ask you something?", i asked with a fake smile on my lips. "Sure.", he nodded as he attempted to reach out for the box.

"Is there a big blinking Neon sign above my head that says 'dense'?...", he shook his head of course and let his hands sink, "...or easy to fool?", I asked further.

"Miss Lavenia, Nobody here thinks you're stupid. But whatever the content of this box is..., it might be poisoned. Or explosive.", Agent Morgan tried to explain. "The Unsub might have send it to you. I recommend...",

"And again, thank you captain obvious!", I interrupted bluntly. I didn't had the slightest idea why I behaved so..., infantile. I suddenly had the urge to creep into a dark corner, till the shame disappeared. I ran crimson in the face, as I realized that the guys were just trying to do their job.

And my flippant comments didn't really made things a lot easier.

Suddenly I felt a little tingly. And I heard the sound of a page being ripped apart, and a filler noisily scratching something on it.

I rocked the box back and forth thoughtfully.

Without a doubt, destiny had passed me this box under strange circumstances. But it was meant for me. I was convinced that this little black box in my hands was no actual threat to me. "You could let 'your' lab run some tests, but I already know what's inside.", I pointed out. Agent Morgan and Spencer exchanged some confused glances. Willingly I gave Spencer the box, whereupon he was staring at me in a way that I didn't like at all. "It contains a note.", I told Agent Morgan. He pursued his lips . "Would you hand me my glasses?", I asked him with a light smile. Agent Morgan handed me my glasses without asking any further questions. Suddenly, I felt a slight discomfort. I scooted uncomfortably on the bed. "What's wrong?", Spencer asked who noticed my anxiety immediately. "There is trouble coming our way." I said, and grimaced. As if to prove my statement, there was a knock at the door. The door immediately swung open following the knock. And in came, the man with the stoic expression, Agent Hotchner. He didn't even bother waiting, to be invited in. He pulled the two alternately aside and whispered conspiratorially with them. When Spencer turned back to me, he had a petrified look on his face. "Is it about the bruises?" I asked, though I was more than certain that I didn't wanted to hear the answer. It hurted me to be right in this way. Literally hurted.

Before Spencer or anybody else could answer, I had to run to the bathroom. My stomach, suddenly seemed to have an very urgent need to get rid of its contents as quickly as possible. I puked noisily into the toilet. Agent Morgan had instantly followed me into the bathroom and rubbed comforting circles on my back. I winced in pain when he accidentally touched a sensitive spot. "Oh sorry, is it so bad?", He asked, and immediately stopped as I nodded weakly. . "Hotch

Prentiss, should look at this.", he suggested gently.

I could hear the door being opened and someone was called who's name was 'Emily'. I could hear footsteps on the tiled floor, who stopped directly behind me. I sat up slowly and wiped the back of the hand across my mouth. And there stood a female Agent, with smooth dark brown hair. In a black FBI Suit.

For one tiny moment I had the feeling, I would look at a female version of Agent Hotchner. But that was gone shortly after she gave me quick but polite smile. "I'll take a look at your back if that's okay?", she asked softly. I nodded, but my attempt to get up but failed miserably. There was no way even thinking of stripping my back. It was too painful.

I was lying in a heap next to the toilet bowl. I felt terrible. This 'monster' had ruined my life. 3 days earlier I was doing just fine.

_And now ...?_

_Was it all in vain?_

Since this piece of shit had touched me, I had recurring visions.

They were like before when I was little. Only bloodier, scarier, and much more detailed.

I broke into tears, and writhed on the cool tiled floor, agitated by fits of crying.

**Reid's PoV XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

I instantly had the urge to run after her, to be sure that the sudden nausea was no late sequelae of her concussion, when she ran to the bathroom. But Hotch thwarted this by putting his hand on my shoulder, and squeezed it lightly. As if to say '_don't even think about doing it_'.

I turned around and gazed at him which made him shake his head. When I turned back I saw Emily bending down to hug Cassy. Cassy's tear-stained face peeked through behind Emily's hair.

Suddenly Cassy's eyes ran cold. "Ce garçon a besoin d'une maman.", Cassy said with a toneless voice and sighed. Emily tensed up. "W- what? You speak French?", Emily asked with a shaky voice. "Il a besoin d'une maman.", she simply repeated.

"Je t'aime Lauren. S'il vous plaît restez avec moi.", Cassy babbled. After this sentence Emily's embrace had apparently turned into a chokehold because Cassy's lips let out a painfilled "Urgh". Emily let go of her. She looked straight into my eyes, which caused me to feel guilty instantly. Like I would be responsible for..., everything. Emily's eyes were filled with mixed emotions. I saw confusion, pain, sadness and..., fear.

_Why is she afraid? After all, Cassy is the one who suffers! _

It would have been understandable if Cassy would pull a face like Emily just did. But she didn't. Her expressionless doll face chilled me to the bone.

Morgan was the first to move after a few seconds of awkward silence. "Maybe she should stay in the hospital a little longer.", he said while kneeling down to get a better look at Cassy, who seemed to be stuck in a daze. She wrapped her arms around herself, and tried to get up. But her knees failed her, and she slumped back to the floor. Morgan grabbed her by her shoulders and placed her on her wobbly legs. He looked at her frowning. Unsure if it would be safe to let her stand on her own, without propping her. She swallowed thickly."I'm fine. I can stand on my own now.", she wheezed. Morgan wasn't fully convinced, "Are you sure?", he asked softly and tightened his grip on her shoulders. "Yes i am sure!", she hissed.

Her strange behavior seemed unpleasantly familiar to me. She tried to break out of Morgans way to tight grasp. A knock at the left open door distracted every single person in the room for a brief moment.

My blood ran cold, causing me to get Goosebumps when Cassy stumbled beside me. She grabbed my shoulders so tightly that it started to hurt.

"Can I come in?", a fearful female voice asked.

**CMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCM CMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCM**

**Who could the lady be? Suggestions&Questions are welcome.**

**R&R please**

**p.s. Sorry for the (very) long delay!**


	7. IMPURE

Reid's PoV xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx

I led Cassy back to her bed. When I was about to raise up she clung even more tightly to me."Please," she begged as her eyes filled with tears again, "She will ask me questions I can't answer.

I missed the very certain undertone in her voice that had always used to tell me if she actually knew something's going to happen or if she was just EXPECTING it.

I can't ease her pain.",she went on, her big cat-like eyes looking at me pleadingly. Once again there was a knock. "Cassandra? Can I come in please? I know that this is your room. It's the only one with FBI Agents in front of it.", the voice begged.

Hasty words were exchanged, then ... SILENCE.

The door slowly opened and Jj guided a women in her early thirties inside. The women pressed a tiny, furry green something to her chest as her life would depend on it.

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions...",Cassy started.

"Just one.", the women interrupted her firmly but politely.

"How?", she asked with a quivering lower lip. Cassy curled her eyebrows. "How, what?", she asked clearly confused.

"Oh please, don't give ma that.", the women hissed angrily. My eyes went back and forth between the two women. I was displeased that I was left out.

Cassy sighed resignedly. "Please Mrs. Dekker, don't put me in a situation where I have to lie.", she begged in a whining tone. "How did you know where it was?", "Where what, was?" I asked slightly harsher than necessary. Suddenly every single eye glanced in my direction.

Everybody gaped at me in disbelief. None of my co-workers was used to see me like this. So uncontrolled, and bristly, almost rude. I tried to swallow my anger. My emotions were riding a roller coaster, and the sudden awkward silence which thereupon spread, made me blush."I don't know what got into me. My apologies.", I mumbled with a flushed face.

"Could you leave us alone for e few minutes?", Cassy asked out of the blue. She looked at Hotch who slowly shook his head. "Please?!", now she directed her words to Morgan.

_"Why doesn't she ask me?"_, I thought.

"I'm sorry, no.", Morgan simply said. Cassy smirked, "Actually, that was not a question. It was more like a demand."

"A demand ?", Morgan repeated smiling slightly.

She ignored Morgans, ('as if I would take orders from you') subtext, and wobbled past him without a word. When she had crossed the room, she leaned against the door, completely exhausted.

She appeared so fragile that it was heart wrenching. Her usually flawless skin was now graced with a sickly paleness. She held her head high and tried to walk a few steps but stumbled. Morgan caught her before she could hit the floor.

"I think we should carry you to your bed and go over the Details.", he suggested. Cassy dropped her head. "Details from what?", she growled angrily.

"Well, the crime.", Morgan replied a bit puzzled,"The fresher the memories the more details.", he added.

"Somehow I don't feel like bathing in blood drenched memories right now. Or at all." ,she muttered and let herself fall to the ground again.

Because she remained weak, and very shaky, Morgan grabbed her again by the shoulders and placed her on her legs. "I understand that it might could make feel uncomfortable, but we need to fill the gaps in your 'Story'", Cassy snorted at the word story. Morgan pretended he had not noticed and continued. "We'll try something that's called 'Cognitive Interview. If it's getting to much, we can always stop.'", he assured. Maybe in that very moment she (inappropriately)had thought about something funny 'cuz she started to giggle. She dropped her head so now her jet black curls hid her face, and mumbled something incomprehensibly. "What did you say?", Morgan asked gently and leaned closer to her, as she repeated a little louder, "Isn't that exactly what your mentor Mr. Buford has always told you?Say stop it. Simply stop it?". Morgan's face hardened, and he gritted his teeth.

For a moment I wasn't sure if me and Morgan were the only ones who heard what Cassy had said. I let my eyes wander unobtrusively. Emily's and Jj's faces spoke volumes. Shocked that this girl, who never had met Morgan before knew so much about him, and surprised that Morgan didn't even made an attempt to talk back. His professionalism was wiped away. He swallowed thickly.

"I think it's time that you tell us, who told you the things you know. We...".

"Yeah, right! As if you would believe me!", she hissed angrily.

"Try me.", he demanded sternly.

"I think it's pretty obvious how she comes to know the things she knows.", threw the woman from a while ago in. All stared at her as if she would be a ghost. With all the things that had happened here, even I had forgotten her presences. Morgan forgot his manners, and threw the woman an angry look, before turning back to Cassy, and waiting for her eyes meeting his. But he waited in vain. The situation began to get scary, as Morgan shook her gently, whereupon she just babbled unintelligible nonsense.

The woman suddenly moved. She grad one of Cassy's hands and placed a green stuffed animal in shape of a bunny in it. She bended down and whispered something in her ear I couldn't understand, kissed her forehead and left without any explanation.

Suddenly Cassy began to quiver. "Let go of me." She hissed at Morgan. She tried to give her words the greatest possible gruff tone she could come up with. But her constant sobbing and whimpering let her emotional wall of protection crumble.

And then I couldn't take it anymore. "Close the door Jj.", I ordered her. She shot me a questioning look, but did it anyway. I knelt behind Cassy's back and instructed Morgan to move away. When he gave me a nervous glance, I just stared back. "She'll have an attack.", When Morgan opened his mouth to protest I got pissed. "I'll got it! Just move!".

And then it started.

_Why didn't I recognize the signs earlier?_

Her body started to twitch. "Please Spence..., please Sp-Sp-Spence ma-make i-i-it sto-o-o-op!", she begged in between her fits. I hugged her from behind and covered her wrists with my hands. "I'll help you make it go away, just like then. Come on Cassy, count with me.", I encouraged her.

"Four...", I started, but she didn't respond. "Come on Cassy. Are you with me?", I could feel her nodding against my chest.

"Four...", I stared again.

"Sw-swiii-tch off the lll-ights.", she began, reciting down the verse I once had taught her.

"Three?", I asked.

"Close the Windows.", she answered sobbingly.

"Two?", I went on, noticing the she already relaxed a little.

"Slam the doors?", she asked a little insecure if she remembered the phrase correctly.

"One!?", I commanded a little too firmly.

"Embrace the 'SILENCE'!", she signed relived.

She turned her head around. "Better?", I asked softly. She lightly smiled at me. And it warmed my heart.

**UNSUB's PoV XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_There's nothing to smile for, you filthy foul thingy! You'll regret the day you walked my way._

"I need to see your ID please.", the pretty shop-assistant asked for the second time. I put on a fake cheerful smile and flashed my ID to her so she'll leave me alone.

_I ain't done yet! Oh ,I indeed recognized that **you **are very special, even among the special ones. You are a disgrace to our kind, how could you besmirch us with dirt like that?_

_I could smell it. It's already in your blood. Your blood is impure._

_"_Yuk!", I exclaimed. Whereupon I earned disapproving gazes of the other visitors.

Cursing and swearing quietly , I hid in a dark corner ...,

and waited...,

for the next traitor who had the misfortune to cross my path.

* * *

**CMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCM CMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCM**

**next chapter will include a little more from the UNSUB's PoV. Please be patient with me cuz of the long update times:-S**

**Anyway, enjoy **

**R&R please!**

**Ps thank you for the first although anonymous review, I love feedback XOXOXO**


	8. Now and Then

**OMG, so much to do, so little time! **

**This chapter will contain a little more about Cassy's and Reid's shared past. And Sorry for the grumpy Morgan moments (there are more coming up). But we all know how Morgan behaved in 'Profiler profiled', and for those who don't :"sorry for the spoilers!". I personally, interpret Morgan's Character as the most likely one who would (at least, at first) reject the idea of such things as special gifted people or miracles or stuff like that. **

**In this Chap. he's still unsure how she got to know the things she knew. The others however, are skeptical too. But not as much as Morgan. So he will test her an various occasions, but he'll grow more fond of her eventually.**

**- This author's note is long, so the chapter probably will be too ;-). Now, enjoy reading!-**

* * *

Chapter 8: **Now and Then**

**Cassy's PoV XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX**

"So what do you think?", Agent Morgan asked

the Agent with graying hair named 'Rossi'.

I liked Agent Rossi. He somehow reminded me of my dads half-brother Frederico.

_"Damn, I miss my family.", _I thought , and wrapped my arms around myself. "Are you cold?", Agent Morgan asked with a concerned look on his face.

"I'm psychic!", I blurted out.

Everybody except Morgan gaped at me. "What?", Morgan furrowed his eyebrows. Everybody stopped what they were currently doing. The tech girl Garcia, who was just setting up her computers and checking the cameras in and outside the 'safe' house, even gave me a 'are-you-kidding' glance.

"I'm just answering your question.", I shrugged."I'm psychic. Thats how I know things about you without really knowing YOU. So actually, there's nothing left that could scare me so much that I get cold. But this house... is... .", I placed one hand on the wall and carefully brushed over it.

"This house is what?", Morgan beamed at me waiting for a response. I hesitated and thoughtfully scratched my chin. "Haunted?", Agent Morgan suggested. I turned around and gave him a hurted look. I struggled to let my voice sound neutral when I answered Agent Morgan. "First.", I lifted a finger "A rule of thumb for you. All mediums are psychics , but not all are psychics mediums."

"Second," I raised a second finger.

"The last thing I wanna do is upsetting they guys they'll gonna save my sorry ass. So let me tell you a few things to ease your anxiety about my,...uhm. Mental health.", with each word word I moved closer to Morgan.

"I had 'nightmares' about my parents divorce before they even started having problems. 2 weeks before my fifth birthday, I began to behave strangely. I refused to eat, had been hiding in closets. I spend hours crieing for no obvious reason. Then on my birthday, I was given a parrot. TUSH!. "I snorted."Parrot's suppose to live longer than you. They are said to have a lifespan of 80 years.", an uncomfortable silence took hold.

"Do you know how long mine lived?", I asked in a small voice, not really expecting an answer.

"3 days.", Interjected Morgan, as he flipped through my case file demonstratively.

"When you were taken away yesterday for a couple of tests, your mother came over again to explicitly speak to someone from the FBI." Morgan began explaining.

I frowned worriedly. "Why would she do that?", I thought out loud. "Well, to prevent ..." He opened my case file again, "And I quote, 'not have to play TRUTH or LIE'.", he added with a evil seeming smirk on the lips. Like he wanted to say 'gotcha, you liar'.

"Really?", Spencer piped up, after a felt eternity. "She's still doing that? Telling people there not suppose to listen to what you say, because you're just making up stories?", He looked annoyed. "That's defamation of character.", I was slightly surprised. He still stood up for me. After all this years.

I grinned to myself. I was relived that even though some time had passed, things between me and Spencer didn't change a lot. At least not much.

_"He'll always fight for you."_, I thought to myself.

**[Flashback ]**

The tears that I had tried to blink away, now rolled down my cheeks anyway. My vision was heavily blurred by the curtain of tears. I took off my glasses to wipe away the tears of rage. "Oh, this man ...", I snarled.

"How could he...? It was just ...! I only meant well ...! Uhh!", I furiously stomped my feet.

_"I need to find a phone booth. I can't ride on a bus. It's Saturday. The bus will be packed. I can't bear with having another vision today. Not again. It would be too much to cope.", _I sorted out my chances of getting home without having people see or touch me.

There was just one person in this world who could comfort me right now. Then I remembered something.

I fumbled in my bag for the small but thick device that my mother had forced on me.

I can remember to have seen something similar on an electronics trade fair, when i was a lot younger.4, Maybe 5 years old. They had called it future technology. These so-called cell phones were not really new, but to my knowledge they have been used only by brokers, real estate agents, and other high-ranking businessmen. Apparently they tried to change this with a few more affordable models a few years later. I could still remember how my mother had dragged me into a shop for computer accessories. All the shiny white and gray devices had quite fascinated me. The devices buzzed, clicked, beeped and rattled. One of those things was attached to a house phone and made weird, screeching noises like a sick robot.

My eyes wandered over the tables with the exhibition goods, and got stuck on a small device, of which there were two different models each available in 4 colors. One of the models was very similar to the cordless house phone we had. I wondered why someone had developed something what looked like something that was already existing. I took it out of its holder and examined it closely. It had a dark green glowing screen. It looked like a tiny computer to me. When I noticed a small expendable antenna, I realized what I had discovered. I immediately decided to put it back, before my mother could notice what it was. When I felt a warm breath on the neck I turned around quickly. Of course a mischievous grinning salesman stood behind me. He tried to talk me into buying one of the phones. When I refused all his offers, he became noticeably more intrusive. When he touched me on the shoulder without a warning, i snapped. "If you touch me again, I'll scream. I will say that you have touched me inappropriately, and make them fire you. We both know that this would be the third allegation of this nature. This time you can not bluff yourself out. "

And even though i did not feel like it, I smiled at him. He was startled. He gave me an appraising look.

Unfortunately, my mother had seen and heard the whole thing. It hailed allegations, followed by a tongue-lashing in public. To make matters worse, she even apologized at the scumbag who wanted to sweep the whole thing under the carpet.

When she was finished with complaining I grabbed her by the elbow and whispered in her ear, why it even got this far, and what he did. However, what and who I saw in my vision... . Well let's just say it was nothing you'd tell your mom about. Especially when she's constantly accusing you of telling lies.

She drew an angry grimace, sent me out, bawled out the perverted salesman, and forced him to alleviate the price of the phone drastically. Only 5 Minutes later, she handed it to me radiantly, and reminded me to always carry it with me. I sighed and tucked it in my pocket, so she would leave me alone. It totally bugged me. You Constantly had to keep an eye on the credit, the battery had to be recharged every two days. And of course it turned out to be a massive nuisance if you took it to the library with you, and it suddenly started beeping.

I dialed the number well known to me, and waited for the dial tone. After the sixth ringing a sleepy Spencer answered the call with "_**It's 5 o' clock in the morning. And Saturday. How come you're awake already?**_". A dry sob escaped my throat. "_How did you know it was me?_" I asked, only half-heartedly interested in the answer. "_**No idea. I just did.**_" He yawned.

"_**You sound upset.**_" He stated after a while. "_**Should I come pick you up?**_" He asked anxiously. "_Yes, please. I … . I don't know what to do. I'm so..., so...!_", I couldn't even find words to describe how I felt about what happened. "_**Just tell me where you are, and I'll be there as fast as I can. I promise!**_".

I looked around me and realized that I had no idea where I was. When I had rushed out of the house from my English Professor I suppose to watch while he was gone, I didn't really pay attention to where I was heading. Now I was lost. "_**Cassy?**_", Spencer's audible concern grew as the answer to my whereabouts remained unanswered."_**Cassy?...**_", he repeated, "_**Where are you?**_", he demanded.

"_I don't know!_", I sobbed. "_I had no particular plan in mind when I started to run._"

"_**Actually you had!...**_", he interjected. I blew my nose noisily.

"_**Or rather, your subconscious.**_" He admitted.

"_**In order to make the daily life a little easier, your subconscious makes decisions for you all the time. Like going straight to the bathroom, right after you woke up. Or putting on your clothes in the correct order.**_

_**Just think about it. **_

_**You're a good map reader. And I gotta know it, I taught you how to read maps. **_

_**Make a list in your head of all the places to where you know the way by foot. Then scratch off all places where you so far only were once. Then all the places to which you know the way though, but have never walked. How many places are left?**_", he asked, a little impatiently.

I quickly recounted, and came up with exactly 6 locations."_Six_", I sniffled. "_**Remember the routes, and lay them over the map.**_", he assigned. And waited.

"_**You got it?**_"

"_Yes._"

"_**Are they overlapping?**_"

"_Yes. In fact, they nearly match everywhere._"

"_**Good. Search for parts where ALL of them overlap. Take all areas out that don't overlap, or are too far away. Your subconscious remembers no street names. Only directions, such as right and left. So think about, from where you started. **_", he requested quietly.

"_I got it,... I think!?_", I was unsure. My self-esteem had shrank to the size of a peanut when Professor Goodwin had called me an 'evil manipulative bitch' 10 minutes ago.

"_**No. You got it.", he assured me.**_ "_**Now, tell me where you are so I can come pick you up.**_"

"_As I said, I'm not sure if I'm right. But I think I'm at Lincoln Avenue. I'll be easy to spot. I'm the only one outside who doesn't bark or meows, or crawls on all fours._", I grinned at my own joke. Spencer however didn't. I couldn't even hear a chuckle. It was not really easy to make him laugh these days. Something was nagging him. But I just couldn't figure out what it was. I was certain that sooner or later he would tell me what's on his mind. I just hoped that he wouldn't tell me he's dating SOMEONE.

I mean, I was fine with the current status of our relationship, not happy though, but fine. But I wasn't ready yet to confess my feelings to him. But if I was suddenly confronted with a rival, that would have forced me to act. And I would have lost the battle with high probability.

If he hadn't accidentally overheard the argument with my mom that day, we wouldn't even had become friends.

I know I should be satisfied with a platonic friendship, but i wasn't. I wanted more. Fortunately, he was slightly socially awkward. Subtext he did not recognize as such, sarcasm was a foreign word for him.

So it was true what people said about geniuses and madman. The line between genius and madness was indeed very thin. And if you're not careful, you'd fall into the abyss over which the cord was clamped. I smiled to myself.

Spencer Reid, you're my knight on a horse. My light in the darkness.

I love you.

Just when Spencer's car approached, I heard a unpleasantly familiar voice from behind. "Found you!", Professor Goodwin snarled. "You forgot your ingredients for your soup." When he said that he emphasized the words 'ingredients' and 'soup'. As if he meant to say, 'I know you intended to do something strange with it'.

"Cassy? What is going on here?", Spencer demanded to know. While Professor Goodwin had been busy with accusing me of trying to poisoning his mother, Spencer had parked his car on the sidewalk. "Here, take your hex-bag and leave!", he shouted, and threw my bag at me, which was solely filled with herbs. My eyes filled with tears. "Your mom is sick professor Goodwin. I was only trying to help.", I sobbed. "How is trying to kill her with toxic plants helping her? For God's sake. Are we still in medieval times? Would you have treated her with leeches if I wouldn't have stopped you?", he gnashed his teeth.

"What were you thinking? You were supposed to only feed my cat and water the plants. What let you think it would be okay to meddle around with my mother.", I literally could feel his anger, cuz' his ANGER was spraying all over my face. It was well known among the Cal-Tech students the he sometimes forgot to swallow his drool when he got angry. Instead he, of course only accidentally spat it directly in your face. When he scolded me diligently, I noticed that he only was upset about the herbs. Apparently, he didn't even recognize that I got rid off all of his whiskey and liquor bottles.

When he came home, he found me in a kneeling position.

When I just had fed the cat, the doorbell rang. Without really thinking about it, I opened the door. What I found was an elderly lady, who smiled at me politely with a pain contorted face, asking for her son 'Preston'. When I let her enter willingly, she tediously limped into the corridor. Her hinges creaked with every step. She had hoped her Sunnyboy could bring her to the hospital, cuz' lately her back pain was getting worse. Of course i knew they wouldn't find anything in particular, but would still poke her with needles, and give her unnecessary and expensive treatments. And of course I had to tell her that , a little ointment here, a bit of pressure there, and 'é voila', she would feel much better. When she asked me to show her how its done, I couldn't refuse. I opened my bag, took out a can of homemade salve, and knelt down, to rub it on her knees.

Just then, Professor Goodwin came home. He didn't even give me a chance to explain the situation. He instantly threw me out.

"Hex-bag? Really? Oh come on professor. You're behaving as if Cassandra would be accused of performing 'magic'.", Spencer remarked dangerously calm. "Don't be silly! Of course I wouldn't think she's a WITCH!", he spat. "Seriously? Because I could swear that soon an angry mob would show up with torches in order to burn Cassy on a stake.", Spencer smirked. "As an English professor, you should know better. How false accusations and hasty judgments can end up. No matter which intentions you had in mind, it always ends in a disaster."; Spencer shook his head in disbelieve, "You should be ashamed of yourself dear professor.", Spencer finished his speech.

He held out an arm and pulled me into a warm embrace. "Come on, I'll bring you home.", he whispered in my ear.

The professor stood there like a drowned rat. No one had previously dared to talk to him like that.

He wasn't used to get lectured. Especially not from Spencer. He was well liked amongst the teaching staff, because he was always so eager to learn and educate himself. And actually, Spencer felt the same way about his teachers.

"_He shouldn't have done that for me._", I thought.

"Professor Goodwin feels defrauded.", I suddenly blurted out, when I slipped into the passenger's seat of Spencer's old Volvo. "Can we please change the subject!", he begged nearly yelling. My whole body stiffened. "Are you mad at me?" I asked with a trembling voice. "What? N-no. Of course not.", he stuttered. He put the key into the ignition and tried to start the car."It's just... . People like him make me mad. That's all.", he finally admitted. "Should I even bring you home, or do you want to go elsewhere?", he asked while his eyes searched mine. "We will see.", I smiled. Than Spencer's attempts to start his old stubborn car finally bore fruits. And we drove off to a, back then yet unknown destination.

**[Flashback end] XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX**

I was torn from my thoughts when I recognized the uproar Outside the house. When I wanted to take a closer look and stepped outside, I was sure that something definitely wasn't right.

A coil of of two people rolled in the grass, groaning and cursing. Every now and then, a muffled scream was heard. Like 'FBI'. Or 'stop fighting it'.

Suddenly I saw a flash of flaming red hair tufts. But they, just as quickly vanished as they had appeared.

However, these few seconds had been sufficient to tell me that I knew at least one person of them. "Chase!" I exclaimed. "Cassy!?", he yelled back. "See, I told you she knows me.", he called out triumphantly. "Cassy! Tell him to get of off me!", he demanded. Panic spread through me. Chase has always been a hothead. If Agent Morgan, which I had just recognized as the other fighter, not rose down from him, it would end badly.

Sure, FBI agents are well trained in self defense but Chase was unpredictable when you drove him into a corner.

Something dark and sinister surrounded him. Agent Morgan probably sensed that too.

"Agent Morgan? It's just a well-intentioned advice, but it would be wiser to do what he wants." I said as I gently knelt down on the grass beside them. The others watched the scene with bated breath.

"We caught him when he crept around the house." growled Agent Morgan. As Chase could free himself, and out-stretched his arms to me, Agent Morgan reached under selfsame through, put his hands in Chase's neck, and held him in a tight grip. "Darn it!", I cursed,"Let go of him!", I demanded. In horror I watched Chase flexing his muscles, preparing himself to charge. Agent Morgan had driven a dangerous predator into a corner. Now he would have to pay the price. "Please, Chase. Don't.", I begged. But it was already to late.

It gnashed hideously when Chase threw himself backwards with his entire body weight. Chase rolled on him, and sat down on his chest and raised his fist, ready to slam it in his face.

"I don't wanna hurt you!", Chase panted and lowered his fist. Morgan saw his chance, and punched his fist on Chase's chest, who gasped in pain. "Oh my god, Chase!", I screamed. "I'm sorry. But I had to do it. He wouldn't had stopped.", he tried to defend his actions. "He's my...", "Cassy stop it!", Chase suddenly interrupted me. "He was only doing his job. He had to act on his experiences. Ain't that right Sir?", Chase tried to smile, and rubbed his aching chest and flinched at the pain the rubbing was causing. "I think I saw a first aid kit in the bathroom. Why don't you come inside with me and I'll treat your blemishes?", Garcia suddenly piped up to break the awkward silence that had rose after Chase's unbelievably generous words of forgiveness. "That would be nice. I think I need a cool-pad or something like that. I think I'll gonna get some nasty bruises.", he carefully brushed over the aching areas.

"I hope my girlfriend doesn't mind.", he said when he walked on by and winked at me.

"Do you?", Spencer asked after a while, in a slightly offended undertone. "Do I what?", I snapped. He slowly approached me. "It seemed like he was referring to you when he said 'girlfriend'. So,...?", he scuffed his feet into the grass. "It's none of your business if I'm his girlfriend.", I snarled. I crossed my arms, and walked off, but he caught up with me and harshly grabbed my elbow. I started to cry.

"You know, I wouldn't even mind, you asking me about my love life, if it would be purely work-related. But it isn't. You're just asking cuz' you're jealous.", I cried. "He's my friend. That's why he's here. He is neither of both, not the UNSUB or my boyfriend. He probably got to know that I was hospitalized. And when he came to check on me he saw me leaving with you guy's. He must had got even more worried when he realized that the FBI was with me.", I wiped the back of my hand over my tear smeared cheeks. "He's only 16 Spencer. I promised his parents to take care of him, and keep him out of troubles.", I pointed out sobbingly. "Your partner tackled him, and you just stood there and watched it.", I reminded him. Since there was nothing left to be said, i just left without another word. "I am really terribly sorry...", Agent Morgan started, "He could have killed you know.", I interrupted him quietly. "He's very skilled in Aikido and Krav maga. Just thought you might should know.", I said in a low voice. He swallowed thickly. "One more thing. You should possibly get sterilized. Obviously, children and teenagers are not really your thing.", I spat. I immediately felt ashamed of it. My words had been more than rude. But this man made me furious, for reasons which I didn't know yet. I decided that the formal apologize could wait. I went inside the check up on Chase.

**UNSUBS PoV XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX**

It had been a clever move, to send this little brat after his beloved Cassandra.

_"Oh dear Cassandra. What's so special about you that everybody falls for you, the instant they lay an eye on you?Tell me. I really want to know. _

_I'm on the edge. I want to owe you, posses you. I want you to be mine. And when you'd finally became mine, you'll going to tell me all your dirty little secrets. _

_How did you know I was coming for you? Who told you?Who taught you how to read me like a book?_

_I feel like you made me soul-strip for you"._

"Daddy?"

"Hey Lilly-pop. Why are you still up?", my Voice automatically softened when I spotted my little sunshine.

Drowsily she rubbed her eyes."Where you talking to mommy?", she asked her voice sounding full of hope.

"No baby doll. You know that's not possible unless..."

"Yeah yeah, unless we find somebody special like mommy who could tell us what she is saying.", she recited and rolled her eyes at me.

"Come on Lilly-pop. I'll bring you back to bed and sing you a lullaby. How does that sound?", I asked sleepy. She only reluctantly agreed to it.

* * *

**Okay folks, I know this update comes a little too quick.**

**But I had been kissed by the muse, and I had an unexpected and short(but still nice) holiday-trip. The weather wasn't really pleasant so I spend most of the trip inside, writing on my notebook.**

**Review pleeeeeeaaaaaseeeee :-D**


End file.
